Lionel Messi has announced the second edition of the Messi Cup, an international youth soccer tournament to be held in South Florida that will include Inter Miami, Barcelona and youth teams from 14 other clubs.
Messi, with his production company 525 Rosario, will host the under-16 tournament between Oct. 25 and Nov. 1, which has doubled in size from the first edition last year.
Inter Miami, Ajax, Inter Milan, Atlético Madrid, Benfica, Barcelona, Palmeiras, Arsenal, Newell's Old Boys, Flamengo, UE Cornellà , Manchester City, Boca Juniors, River Plate, Independiente del Valle and Chelsea are the 16 youth teams invited.
"The Messi Cup was created to give young players a unique experience,both on and off the pitch, during a crucial stage of their development, and to introduce them to what it means to compete at the highest international level," Messi said in a news release. "We are happy to see the tournament grow and to bring together players from so many of the world's top clubs to compete, share experiences and above all enjoy the game of football."
Matches will be played at Inter Miami stadium, the event organizer said in a news release.
"Going from eight to 16 clubs in our second year marks a significant milestone for the Messi Cup," 525 Rosario CEO Tim Pastore said. "Our goal is to secure a permanent place on the global youth soccer calendar and build a tournament that clubs value, young players aspire to compete in and fans around the world want to follow. That means continuing to raise the bar every year, both in the quality of the soccer and in how we organize and run the tournament."
