The fifth edition of Emirates Airline Young Footballer Challenge is being held in the evening on Friday 16 May at the Victor Tedesco Stadium in Hamrun.
Organised by Arsenal Malta Supporters Club (AMSC) in collaboration with Emirates Airline and with the support of the English Premier Football Club Arsenal FC, the Challenge is becoming a platform for talented young footballers.
This sporting annual event sees some of Malta’s top budding players compete for the title of the Emirates Airline Young Footballer Challenge 2008. Youth Nursery Football Clubs in Malta and Gozo are invited to register two of their best young female and male footballers, born in 1995 and 1996, (Under 11 and Under 12).
Arsenal FC support
During the event’s briefing held for the Youth Nurseries at the AMSC premises in Santa Venera, the Club’s Chairman, Richard Felice Pace, announced that Arsenal FC were delighted with their participation at last year’s event and have already committed their support for this year’s edition.
The Premier Club will be sending two senior official youth coaches to Malta to oversee the event and assist the adjudicating panel, which will be made up of three established Maltese coaches.
Mr Felice Pace said that the Arsenal Supporters Club believes that this event provides an opportunity for young aspiring footballers to test their soccer skills individually rather than as a team.
Emirates’ involvement
In 2004, the Dubai-based international airline, signed the biggest sponsorship deal worth £100 million in football history with Arsenal FC. The agreement also included Emirates’ naming rights to Arsenal’s new £357 million, the Emirates Stadium, for the following 15 years.
Malta is continuing to build on the success of the previous four editions of the Emirates Airline Young Footballer Challenge. The concept of this challenge was developed in Malta by Emirates Airline.
Emirates’ Manager for Malta and Cyprus, Paul Fleri Soler, said: “Emirates continues to believe in this initiative for young aspiring footballers in Malta and Gozo. Past winners of the Emirates Airline Young Footballer Challenge have eventually gained further opportunities in their training. We hope that many children will participate in the Emirates Airline Young Footballer Challenge 2008 and that we will see some stars of the future develop their skills in the exhilarating sport.”
AMSC Event Co-ordinator, Peter Paul Gauci said that this year the Emirates Airline Young Footballer Challenge is being given a different dimension from past editions.
Each nursery is invited to select two top players: one born in 1995 and another player born in 1996 (as from 1 January to 31 December of each mentioned year). Those Nursery Clubs that train young female footballers may also submit the name of best girl for each group apart from submitting the names of the two boys. This means that the Club with female players may submit the names of 2 girls and 2 boys for the competition.
On 16 May, all chosen participants will be tested on their individual skills in dribbling, juggling and shooting, according to the Set Minimum Standards of the Nursery Clubs