The Gothia Cup is an annual World Youth football tournament that has been running since 1975. This year saw over 1900 teams from 72 nations taking part, following the Olympic-style opening ceremony.

Raheem and Maksym were delighted to be selected to play for the Prep School Pumas U14 team, representing Prep schools from Kent and Sussex.  Despite a few warm up matches in the run up to the tournament, the first time the whole team could play together was once they had reached the tournament itself.  In their first game they were still trying to remember each other's names!

After the U14  group matches (190 teams), the team qualified for the B tournament.  The Pumas were hoping to get through one round at least and were delighted to beat a Swedish team 3-1.  Raheem scored the Pumas' first goal of the tournament in this match and the boost to the team's morale was visible.  Buoyed up by their success, and now playing much better together as a team, the Pumas faced a German side in the afternoon and won their match 1-0.

A very early start the next morning saw the Pumas face an American side in the final 16.  By now the Pumas had gelled well as a team and some fine football was on display and they beat the Americans 1-0 to reach the final 8, becoming the last English team standing in either the A or  B competitions.

The afternoon quarter final match was against another Swedish team and the Pumas, despite being the better side, and with Maks having his best match of the tournament, couldn't make the result more than a 0-0 draw.  Penalties ensued and, very sadly, the Pumas lost.

The week was an amazing experience for the two boys and their football visibly improved as the week went on. Maks is extremely grateful to all those who supported him and enabled him to attend the tournament.