Minerva Academy FC’s youth team, which won all three major European youth tournaments, will be felicitated during the Messi G.O.A.T India Tour 2025 in New Delhi on December 15, the club announced.
The young squad created history earlier this year by clinching the Dana Cup (Denmark), Norway Cup and Gothia Cup (Sweden), earning India unprecedented global recognition in age-group football. Their victories against top European academy teams have positioned Minerva among the world’s leading youth development systems.
The players will now receive national recognition in the presence of Lionel Messi, who will be in Delhi as part of his India tour. Following the felicitation, the squad will also get an opportunity to play a special 9-v-9 exhibition match alongside the Argentine icon, a moment the academy describes as “a childhood dream coming alive” for its athletes.
Minerva Academy, based in Punjab, has been one of the key drivers of India’s grassroots football rise over the past decade, producing several national and ISL-level players while consistently competing and winning on international platforms.
Club officials said the recognition on a global stage, such as Messi’s India Tour, is not only a celebration of the team’s achievements but also an acknowledgement of the academy’s training structure and its commitment to nurturing world-class talent.