One of the best football academies in Europe – training children and youth of FC Porto on a daily basis – will host the winners of the third edition of the Z Orlika na Stadion tournament. This will be the main prize for 120 winners of the largest football tournament for youth
The academy of the most decorated Portuguese club and current national champion has been developing outstanding talents for years. FC Porto's academy graduates include current national team players such as Diogo Costa and Vitinha. Now, the winners of the Z Orlika na Stadion tournament will have the opportunity to train at the academy's facilities under the guidance of its coaches. They will be able to learn not only the training methodology but also the football development philosophy of FC Porto. Young Polish footballers will also play friendly matches against the youth teams of the "Dragons".
- It is very important that the young girls and boys taking part in the Z Orlika na Stadion tournament can see for themselves what training looks like at the best European academies, in order to keep alive their dream of a career in top-level football. Last year, the best participants in the tournament went to a training camp at Barcelona's La Masia. At the end of this edition, the destination will also be the Iberian Peninsula and a club with Polish national team players in its squad - said Minister of Sport and Tourism Jakub Rutnicki.
In addition to training sessions, the young footballers will have the opportunity to explore the city, the club's stadium and – if the schedule allows – attend one of the Portuguese champion's matches at the Estadio do Dragao. The chance to see three of our national team players in action – Jakub Kiwior, Jan Bednarek and Oskar Pietuszewski – would certainly be an extraordinary experience for the Z Orlika na Stadion winners.
- Porto has for many years placed its trust in academy graduates, in players who came through this academy. Their development focuses on building character, mentality, consistency, dedication and hard work. All of this so that a young footballer can bear the weight of responsibility for the club's results - said former FC Porto player Grzegorz Mielcarski, who together with the Minister announced the training camp destination on the social media of the Z Orlika na Stadion tournament.
To compete for a place at the training camp, the road to which leads through the November final at a major stadium, teams from the U-13, U-14 and U-15 age groups must register by 30 June at the latest. With equal opportunities in mind, the competition takes place across two tracks: Junior (dedicated to schools and amateur teams) and Junior Pro (aimed at football clubs and academies).
Competition in the tournament will begin in September. The schedule includes four key stages: the Local Stage, during which matches will be played on pitches across the country, followed in October by the Regional and Macro-regional Stage (in 16 cities across Poland), and the Grand Final in November for the 96 best teams from across Poland. About the programme
The Z Orlika na Stadion tournament is organised as part of the nationwide Aktywna Szkoła programme by the Fundacja Orły Sportu. The project is financed from state budget funds administered by the Minister of Sport and Tourism. The strategic partner of the tournament is ORLEN, and the main partner is the Hisense brand.
