FC Barcelona have already won the KDB Cup for the third time, the international U15 tournament named after Kevin De Bruyne. Het beat Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 in the final. A brilliant field of participants (including Manchester City, Real Madrid and newcomers Palmeiras SE and Mamelodi Sundowns) and noted guests zoas Geert De Vlieger, Jelle Van Damme, Frank Boeckx and Jacky Mathijssen lured zo'n ten thousand soccer enthusiasts to Drongen. The BV match on Friday night also looks set to become a fine tradition.
Another meeting of absolute greats in the final of the KDB Cup 2023. Barcelona led 1-0 very early on. However, PSG recovered from that blow, equalised, but after half-time Barça took further distance. Shortly before the end, the decision fell. Coolness and efficiency made the difference. Remarkable: the Blaugrana also won the KDB Cup last year as well as in 2017. This is starting to become a good tradition...
Marc Vinyals, from FC Barcelona's Methodology Department, was full of praise afterwards. "The KDB Cup is truly a formidable tournament. The whole organisation was perfect - from the hotel stay, to the pitches and infrastructure, to the timing of the matches. The sporting level was also very high, as expected. Great to be able to play against a team like Palmeiras SE."
Final standings KDB Cup 2023:
- FC Barcelona
- Paris Saint-Germain
- Palmeiras SE
- Club Brugge
- KAA Gent
- Ajax
- Odense BK
- Mamelodi Sundowns
- RB Leipzig
- Real Madrid
- Manchester City
- Bayern Munich
Guillermo Fernandez Casino (FC Barcelona) is best player of the tournament
Guillermo Fernandez Casino of FC Barcelona was voted best player of the tournament. Barça's number 10 and playmaker is a typical product of La Masia: nippy, quick, agile and with a fine vista.
Bas Evers of KAA Gent was the best goalkeeper. Top marksman was Luca Gabriel De Oliveira Lima (Palmeiras) with six goals in five games. Finally, Real Madrid the fairplay trophy. Remarkably, their club doctor administered initial care to a spectator who had become unwell due to the high temperatures.
Jacky Mathijssen: "Tournament has built a huge reputation"
At the KDB Cup every year, a lot of renowned people from the world of football come to enjoy themselves. Among others Emilio Ferrera, Jelle Van Damme, Frank Boeckx and Arnar Vidarsson were spotted around the fields. Top referee Bram Van Driessche, Kevin Monteny and Jo De Weirdt (FIFA refs) led the final in goo.
Also Jacky Mathijssen, former professional goalkeeper and coach at the likes of Club Brugge, Lokeren, Charleroi, Beerschot and OH Leuven, signed presently. The coach of the national promising team is in full EC preparations. Nevertheless, he found the time to drop by. "There is a huge amount of domestic and foreign talent here. Beautifully organised, lots of enthusiasm all around. This tournament has built up a huge reputation over the years. It is logic itself that I come here to watch the talent. We are making great strides with Belgian youth. When you see Gent taking the measure of Real Madrid here, for example..."
Paul Naudts: 'Again next year we will go for absolute top teams'
Tournament chairman Paul Naudts looks back with satisfaction: "It has been a brilliant tournament again, with a fine winner. What will stay with me from this edition, apart from the efforts of the just over 400 volunteers, is the intercontinental aspect. Palmeiras and Mamelodi Sundowns again gave our tournament some extra appeal worldwide. And of course the massive turnout, even without Kevin's presence. We will go for absolute top teams again next year. I recommend everyone to come and watch en masse then too."
KDB Cup is more than just top football. Just a quick note that the ticket revenue from the BV match on Friday night, 9 June, will go entirely to the KOMOK asbl go. This is a non-profit organisation that helps parents of young cancer patients, founded by Antwerp target man Davino Verhulst, after his then 10-month-old daughter was diagnosed with cancer in October 2015.
The seventh edition of the KDB Cup will take place on 1 and 2 June 2024.
