How Caledonian Braves took over Fenix Trophy
Frederik Hvillum
Caledonian Braves arrive at the Fenix Trophy not just to participate, but to prove that authentic football belongs to those who dare to reimagine it, no matter their age. Here, it's about football's purest form, where teams make friends, not millionaires.
The green mountains rise majestically around Lake Iseo in northern Italy, where Stadio Comunale De Rossi provides an idyllic setting for the Fenix Trophy Final Four.
On this sunny May day, fans from three different countries mingle in the town squares and surrounding cafés. Belgian Berchem Sport supporters have arrived in large numbers, with flares and banners ready, while English FC United of Manchester and Avro FC, along with Scottish Caledonian Braves, also have their supporters filling the small lakeside town that shares its name with the lake.
At Stadio Comunale De Rossi, Chris Ewing, Caledonian Braves' chairman, nervously paces around the uneven pitch before Saturday's first semifinal, where the Scots will face Berchem Sport. "The pitch looks a bit wobbly," he remarks with concern while inspecting the surface, which has suffered from the heavy rain of recent days. Though the sun now shines from a cloudless sky, the grass is still not of a standard one would expect for a European tournament.
But the amateur Champions League is not just a football tournament. It's a cultural melting pot where the soul of grassroots football finds expression. Both on and off the field.
For Scotland's youngest senior club, this moment represents the culmination of a remarkable journey. "We're a very small and very young club. We're playing against clubs that have over 100 years of history," explains Ewing, who founded the club in 2019.
From Academy to European Adventure
The story of Caledonian Braves is anything but traditional in Scottish football. In a country where clubs often have a hundred years of history, they are true rebels. "Caledonian Braves is Scotland's youngest senior football club, created in 2019 as an evolution from a private football academy called Edusport Academy," explains Ewing.
The founder himself exemplifies how football can change a life. He previously played for Motherwell, but as he modestly puts it, "I was a really good footballer until I signed professionally. Then I realized I wasn't that good!"
His career took him to the USA and later to Paris, where a casual remark about his t-shirt from a French girl changed his life's path. "I went to Paris with two £20 notes. I got a job in a pub, I've been there for 20 years, got married, and have three daughters," he explains.
But it was his passion for football that led to the creation of Edusport Academy in 2011 - a private academy that brought French football players to Glasgow to combine sport and education - and later Caledonian Braves. The club's name is no coincidence: "Caledonian means Scotland. It's the name that the Romans gave to Scotland. It actually means 'steadfast,' which means strong and does not retreat. 'Brave' means brave to do things differently, brave on and off the pitch."
A Global Fanbase in a Local World
In a world where football clubs are traditionally defined by their local roots, Caledonian Braves breaks the mold. Instead of competing for attention in an already saturated Scottish football scene, dominated by Glasgow giants Celtic and Rangers, Ewing chose a revolutionary approach.
"One of the key points for us was to realize that it would be difficult to attract a fanbase locally. So we wanted to create a global community," he explains with an enthusiasm that reveals his entrepreneurial spirit. "I know that sounds very ambitious, but in 2024-2025, a community can be anyone who shares the same values, mindset, and ambitions."
Through an innovative capital-raising campaign, the club achieved something almost unthinkable: 9,000 investors from 64 different countries, including at least one from every American state. "We have at least one owner in every single state in America, which is crazy," Ewing laughs. "On a personal level, we had many people who invested in the club from places like New York and California. For a long time, we had 48 of the 50 states. Then we finally got Wyoming and Montana and had all 50 states. It was like 'Bingo!'"
This global approach has transformed the club's dynamics. At every home game, American fans show up, sometimes without notice. "It happens all the time now. At every single game, there are people from America at the game," says Ewing, providing an example from earlier this season: "Some guys came over from Ohio - they came over on Friday, played some golf Saturday morning, came to the game in the afternoon, went to Edinburgh on Sunday, and flew back on Monday."
Investors have also arrived in Iseo to support the team. One of them goes by the name Speedy, who has traveled from England to support the club.
"I heard Chris on a podcast speaking about the ownership, and what he was trying to do to make the club bigger, and that they were inviting investors. I liked what I heard, so when the chance came to invest, I decided to go for it," he says. He primarily follows the team via livestreams, but when he can, he makes the approximately four-hour drive to Scotland to follow the team.
The games in Iseo are the first time he's seen them internationally, and when asked why, he promptly answers: "Why not? I've never been to a different country to watch football before, so I just thought it'd be a really good place, a lovely area to come to."
Making Friends Not Millionaires
Founded in 2021 as an annual European tournament for semi-professional and amateur clubs, the Fenix Trophy represents an alternative to commercial top-flight football. This year, 16 teams, selected for their social, historical, and cultural distinctiveness, have competed in the tournament, which is built on the motto: "Making friends, not millionaires."
Leonardo Aleotti, the tournament's founder, has a vision that extends beyond the results on the pitch.
"I think the Fenix Trophy should be a sort of reference point for non-professional football," explains Aleotti during a quiet moment of the tournament. Everyone wants to talk to the man behind the tournament, whether it's the mayor of Iseo, who visits for the trophy presentation at the final, or British bridesmaids who compete in a 100-meter race during the halftime of the final, much to the delight - and confusion - of the many fans present.
"You're trying to disrupt a continuity with the idea that non-professional football is just professional football before it becomes professional, which I don't think it is. I simply think it's something of a different nature," he expresses midway through the second semifinal.
For Caledonian Braves, participation in the tournament has been transformative. It has given the players an opportunity to experience international football - something that would otherwise be unthinkable at their level. "Nobody who plays for us will ever play Champions League or Europa League or Conference League. So this is really the closest they can come to it," explains Ewing. "After our first game, the players told me it was like the best moment of their career."
From Camping to Semifinal
While top clubs travel by private jet and stay in luxury hotels, the reality is different in the Fenix Trophy. All four teams have checked into the local campsite by Lake Iseo, within walking distance of Stadio Comunale De Rossi. Ice baths are replaced by a dip in the lake, and players live side by side with other teams and fans - an experience that creates a special bond between them.
John Guthrie, the 25-year-old captain who works as a carpenter by day, describes it as a unique opportunity: "It's something you don't really experience in the football world. It's amazing." After a career that started at Motherwell and continued through the lower divisions, he values the opportunity to play in Europe. "We're obviously part-time, so the boys work as well. It's about balancing everything - getting time off work and so on. But it's worth it. It's fantastic."
The captain's career at Caledonian Braves hasn't been fantastic throughout. Three years ago, he missed an entire season due to a "freak accident in a bounce game between training sessions," as he puts it.
"My foot just got stuck in the turf and turned the other way. It was crazy. But I recovered from that all right. The mental aspect was the hardest part. Now I'm playing all the time - we've played like 40-45 games this season or something like that. So it's good to be fit and play all the time. That's what it's all about."
He fought his way back, and now he's in his second season as the team's captain. The conversation turns to Guthrie's playing style, and when asked to describe it, it's clear that he's not often asked about it.
"How would I describe myself?" he begins before taking a longer pause to think. "I'd probably say tenacious. I'd say I'm good on the ball, tough tackling. I could say versatile as well. I've never really been asked that question before. But that's what most people would say about me anyway."
The tough tackling comes to the fore less than 24 hours later when Guthrie receives a yellow card early in the first half of the semifinal against Berchem after stopping a Belgian counter-attack with what he might describe as a "tough tackle."
Across the campsite, players, fans, and families share the experience. Several players have brought partners and families, who also stay at the campsite. It's not every day that they can experience a family member playing in a European tournament. "It might not be many games like this, so this is at least one of the nicest places to play," says the captain, moving toward the pool area where several teammates are passing the time.
ABBA Paving the Way to the Final
The semifinal day begins with nervousness in the Caledonian Braves camp. The uneven pitch causes concern, and Berchem Sport from Belgium has a reputation as a strong technical team with massive fan support. As the teams run onto the pitch, the Belgian fans light flares, after which the two national anthems play over the sound system.
From the beginning of the match, it's clear that the Scots have come to play offensive football. They dominate possession but struggle to convert chances on the difficult playing surface. "They're clearly creating the most chances in the first half. They break through Berchem, but the final touch is just missing," remarks an observer in the stands.
After 25 minutes, jubilation erupts among the Scottish players and fans. Greig Stewart heads the ball into the net to put Caledonian Braves ahead 1-0, while ABBA's "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" blasts from the speakers. It turns out to be the tournament's official goal song. Shortly after, it could easily have been 2-0 when the Scots get two huge chances but miss both.
During the first half, more FC United of Manchester and Avro FC supporters arrive, spending time hanging numerous banners on the fence while the British supporters entertain themselves by singing in chorus, "We can all agree that Scotland is better than Belgium." The two teams also arrive and keep active beside the pitch. Today's second semifinal kicks off 30 minutes after the final whistle of the first, so it's important to use the time optimally.
In the second half, Caledonian Braves cement their dominance. They first extend their lead to 2-0, and shortly after, their number 9 scores to make it 3-0, whereupon Ewing and the rest of the Scottish families and supporters break into both song and dance to ABBA's tunes again. That also becomes the final result of the match, securing their access to the final against the winners of today's second semifinal. Here, FC United of Manchester wins and is in the final for the second consecutive year.
"Brilliant for us," exclaims Chris Ewing after the victory. "I couldn't be more proud of my guys. It's always a challenge when you come here because you don't really know what to expect, but the boys were really lovely. I think out of the three goals, it could have been more."
Technology's Role in Modern Amateur Football
While the matches unfold on the pitch, another revolution is taking place on the sideline. Both semifinals are recorded with Veo cameras - a technology that has revolutionized video analysis in amateur football. Berchem's video analyst Kim Michelsen sets up a Veo camera before the match and explains that back in Belgium, there's a youth tournament in progress where everyone will watch the livestream of Berchem's matches.
For Caledonian Braves, Veo has become a central tool in their development. Dorian Ogunro, the club's video analyst, explains their use of Veo during Friday's light training session: "I use Veo all the time. I watch each game two or three times for different reasons, and I pick up different things - some bits to create clips, some bits just to watch, and some bits just to align what I saw."
This gives clubs at this level the opportunity for professional analysis, which was previously reserved for elite clubs. "When I was at my previous club, we introduced video analysis, but we had a guy who was doing it with a big, tall stand. It was manually controlled," says Ogunro. "So when I was at my club, I pushed to get Veo. That was a game changer, because you could see the whole pitch."
Ogunro has also prepared for the semifinal against Berchem through Veo recordings, as he has closely studied Berchem's recent Fenix Trophy matches against Danish Skjold, which resulted in an overall victory for the Belgians and thus access to the Final Four.
"I have some clips of Berchem to show the guys today. What I like is that you get the full perspective. When you're videoing manually, what normally happens is whoever's operating the camera zooms in so you only see three or four players. You don't see the spacing, how deep the team is, the attacking options. But with Veo, it gives you all of that, but still with enough sharpness that you can see the detail," he says on the sideline.
The Fenix Trophy founder, Aleotti, also sees the potential in the technology: "I am witnessing the development of Veo in this new world of broadcasting. It makes the chance of coaching and live streaming the games available for everyone, which is great."
A Historic Final
The final day dawns with an atmosphere of excitement. FC United of Manchester, previous winners of the tournament, face Caledonian Braves, the youngest club in the final four. The stadium is packed with fans, especially from Manchester, while the Scottish players' families also fill up well, and free Fenix Trophy scarves are distributed in an attempt to decorate the stand in the tournament's official color, purple.
The match begins intensely, and Caledonian Braves' captain Guthrie comes close to scoring with a shot that hits the inside of the post. But it's not long before the Scots take the lead, and jubilation breaks out. Their number 10 gets the ball into the net after a superb pass from Guthrie on the right wing.
The pressure continues, and after the number 9 makes it 2-0, the families dance to ABBA again, just as they did the day before. A mother of a Caledonian Braves player has a heart rate monitor that's pumping away. "And it's not even halftime," she nervously remarks to her neighbor, who nods nervously.
When the second half begins, FC United of Manchester reduces the deficit to 1-2 after 62 minutes. The tension rises, but Caledonian Braves keep their cool, and their substitute Cameron Breadner seals the victory with a header to make it 3-1.
When the final whistle sounds, jubilation erupts. The mayor of Iseo comes in for the award ceremony and gives a speech, while "We Are The Champions" blasts from the speakers. The three other teams also come onto the pitch and receive medals before the Scottish winners can lift the trophy to great cheers.
"It's amazing," exclaims Chris Ewing after the victory. "It's just a fantastic tournament, fantastic location, and we've made many friends. To actually come here and win it, it's just a dream come true for us. We're a very small club, very young club. We're playing against clubs that have over 100 years of history."
After the celebration, coach Ricky Waddell returns to the coaching box to gather the last items and reflect on the significance of the victory: "I'm so proud of the guys. They've come a long way, and it's not just about today or the weekend - it's about where we came from five years ago. I've known some of these boys since they were 13-14 years old. I'm like the father figure," he says, looking at the jubilant players in the background. "When they were in professional teams, in academies, I've seen some of them through that journey. And then we started our own story with Caledonian Braves, and it's been up and it's been down. This is certainly one of the high points."
"Our culture at the club is very much on progression. Progressing the players, progressing the team, progressing the club. This is a good opportunity to do that. It exposes the players to a different environment, different styles of football, different country. Obviously, we know it's not the Champions League, but at the same time, having that team camaraderie to go away, go abroad, and be part of something different to what the normal is back home is something special," says Waddell, who himself has a professional playing career behind him, both in Scotland and in the States.
A Look Toward the Future
For Caledonian Braves, the victory is more than just a trophy. It's a confirmation of their innovative approach to club management and football. "We said at the start of the tournament, if we can get to Italy, it would be fantastic. Now we're here!" says Ewing.
While the club celebrates their first international trophy, their ambitions remain intact. They finished third in the league this year, but as Coach Waddell points out: "We always want to move forward. We finished third in the league this year - we want to finish first next year."
Ewing even dreams of creating a manifesto for how football should be run: "What we are trying to do, maybe, is create like a manifesto or a charter of how football should be - how football should be run - and sign up to that. Get like-minded clubs like ourselves, like FC United of Manchester, and create a list of clubs that become kind of friends within football and try to do things a bit differently."
In a football world increasingly dominated by billions and commercial interests, the Fenix Trophy and clubs like Caledonian Braves stand as a reminder of the sport's roots - community, passion, and the joy of the game. As investor Speedy puts it: "I like the community aspect of it. It's not local, it's global. It's just an incredible movement they've got going."
And as the trophy travels back to Scotland with Caledonian Braves, it's clear that the real victory is European grassroots football's continued ability to connect people across borders, cultures, and languages - all through the love of the world's most popular sport.
