The U16 teams of the international club elite battled it out over three days this weekend at the 2023 Next Generation Trophy. The tournament was hosted by our co-operation partner FC Liefering at the Red Bull Academy.
Video: RBS TV summary of 2023 Next Generation Trophy
The trophy is on its way to Brazil. Red Bull Bragantino were the winners of the final against Sporting Lisbon. The Brazilians had more of the encounter from the start - Papille Viana and Neves Luz both missed good opportunities to give them a lead and they had a headed goal ruled out for offside. A penalty shootout would be required to decide the winners, with the Brazilians getting the upper hand.
Our Young Bulls from the Red Bull Academy were able to prevail in a fierce battle for third place against the RB Leipzig youngsters. In a frantic game, the Salzburg boys had the final say with a winner in a match finishing 4-3.
RESULTS
9th to 12 places
- Liverpool 2-6 Atletico Madrid
- Juventus 2-1 Independiente del Valle
7th place play-off
- New York Red Bulls 4-1 Yeelen Olympique
5th place play-off
- FC Kopenhagen 1-3 Club Brugge
3rd place play-off
- RB Leipzig 3-4 Red Bull Football Academy
Final
- Red Bull Bragantino 0-0 Sporting Lisbon, Red Bull Bragantino win 5-4 on penalties
VIEWS
The Next Generation Trophy is known across the world now, and it is always fantastic to welcome big-name clubs with incredible quality. That's what it is all about too - testing yourself against different playing styles and facing the difficulties that arise. The third place finish is a great reward for our boys!
I am very pleased with how this edition of the Next Generation Trophy went and with the general development. The organisation was top, and my colleagues did an incredible job. It's a really well valued tournament - both within our club and in European youth football. We get some well-known clubs approaching us and asking if they can take part next year. The tournament is a step up in terms of quality to our Austrian competitions - and involves different playing ideas, playing styles and cultures. That makes a huge difference for our boys!
I am really pleased for the boys! It has been a long time since the Red Bull Football Academy made the semi-finals. The results alone made it a success, but the performances were great too, especially in the semi-final. I am pleased that we could put in another cool team performance today and got our reward with third place! These chances to compete against other European sides are extremely important to the boys. They give them a chance to appreciate the levels they still have to climb to reach the very top.
