The best youth tournament in the whole world: Welcome to the KDB Cup

The world-famous Cup was created in 2016 by Belgium midfielder Kevin De Bruyne and takes place in his hometown of Drongen, where the superstar - who will play in the Champions League final tomorrow - began his ascent to the summit of world football.

Last year, the Cup once again cemented itself as one of the best youth tournaments in the world. On the field, we saw an intense El Clásico in the final, with Barcelona securing a 3-1 win. The tournament managed a notable landmark off the field as it was broadcast free-to-air in over 104 countries by the Veo Live app.

Just like last year, all the matches of this year's tournament will be live-streamed on Veo Live, enabling fans from across the globe to closely follow the action as teams compete for the prestigious title.

Contested between some of the best U15 players in the world, it is a thrilling tournament packed into two days of the early summer.

This year, the Cup has brought teams from all around the world.

We'll see some exciting talents with South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns and Brazilian giants Palmeiras competing as the first-ever non-European sides. The draw for this year also featured European clubs like Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig, Manchester City, Ajax, PSG, Odense Boldklub, KAA Gent, and Club Brugge.

According to the tournament leader, Jeroen Verhille, the live streaming option with Veo is taking the tournament to another level:

"Now everyone globally can watch every game from the KDB Cup and experience what type of cup this is."

"This is the most special edition of the KDB Cup. It's extraordinary because we're going international this year. I hope to see some different cultures playing together and different play styles. Hopefully, all the young players can learn from each other." Verhille ends.
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For South African side Mamelodi Sundowns, it is the first time many players have set foot in Europe. As Shawn Bishop, Head of Academy and Methodology, expresses, the players are ready to showcase their playing style at the highest level.

"For many, this is their first trip outside South Africa. You'll see highly technical players; they like to be in possession of the ball quickly and agile. We overcome physical dominance by just moving the ball quickly."

Two key players in this year's tournament edition are Mamelodi Sundowns' captain Kabelo Sibande. The midfielder, who goes by the name Festival, has already been selected for the South African U17 national team, and he has high expectations for both himself and his teammates:

"You can expect a good performance from us. I hope to see us going back home with the trophy," Festival explains.

"My dream is to play here in Europe and become better. I have a perfect chance to show off great here at this tournament. One of my dreams is to play in the Champions League and to get there, and I must work hard and show how I am," Mamelodi Sundown's number 23 ends.
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Another player we may see more of in the future is the Brazilian striker Lucas Oliviera from Palmeiras. He clearly expects Palmeiras to bring the KDB Cup trophy back home to Brazil.

"It's a lifetime opportunity to be here. It's a top-level competition, and we must do our best and do good for our club and fans back home."

"We have a lot of heart; we're gonna get everything that we have to do to become victorious and win the tournament of KDB Cup the first time that our club is here," he explains.

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The same sentiment is expressed by coaching staff at the other end of the footballing spectrum. Head Coach of the Bayern Munich team, Alexander Moj said;

“It's an honor being here. This cup is one of the best in the world, and we are super excited about being here. This tournament is a big tournament for our boys. It's also the last one in our season for our players, so we want to end this season in a nice way, and a very happy to be here."

The action kicks off Saturday at 09.30 CET, and all games will be available to watch for free on the Veo Live app right here.

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