A Melbourne City Under 15 Academy squad has returned home after a memorable two-week trip to Europe that included high-quality opposition, professional experiences, and a taste of life at the top level.
The squad travelled as part of their participation in the prestigious Malmö Trophy in Sweden and began their journey in England, staying at the City Football Academy – home of our sister club, Manchester City.
During their time in Manchester, the group received an up-close insight into the inner workings of one of the world’s most successful football clubs. They toured the facilities, visited the Etihad Stadium, and had the opportunity to see how elite players live and train – a truly formative experience for the young squad.
Head of Academy, Simon Zappia, reflected positively on the experience.
“It was a wonderful experience for all involved and something the players and staff will take plenty of learnings from across our time in Manchester and then the tournament in Malmö.”
While in Manchester, the squad played a pair of friendly matches to fine-tune their preparation for the tournament ahead. First came a dominant 7-1 win over a Manchester City Select Squad, where the attacking talent of Akeem Gerald and Luka Demuth shone through in a polished team performance.
A few days later came a trip to Bolton for a clash with the Bolton Wanderers Academy in typically challenging English conditions – pouring rain and icy wind. After a tricky start, City turned on the class in the second half, running out 5-2 winners thanks to a four-goal haul from Dhillan Calleja.
With their preparations complete, the group then flew to Sweden to begin their Malmö Trophy campaign.
The opening match saw City take on tournament hosts Malmö FF. Despite creating plenty of chances, a swift counterattack from the Swedes proved the difference in a 1-0 defeat. The boys bounced back strongly later in the day with a 1-0 win over Olympiacos, Calleja again on the scoresheet after a smooth team move.
Another early kick-off followed the next morning, this time against BSC Young Boys. City struck first through Harley Truong just before the break, after already hitting the post, crossbar, and seeing another effort cleared off the line.
A late defensive lapse, however, saw Young Boys snatch a 1-1 draw.
In the final group stage match, City faced footballing giants Real Madrid. In one of the most intense games of the tournament, a deflected second-half goal saw Madrid take the lead before a late equaliser from Thomas Nasso – heading home at the back post – ensured a 1-1 draw and a third-place finish in the group for City.
That set up a fifth-place playoff match against French side Toulouse to round out the tournament. It was another fiercely contested encounter, with both sides having chances but ultimately unable to break the deadlock in regular time. The match was decided by penalties, with goalkeeper Jenson Gumbleton making two strong saves, but Toulouse ultimately edging the shootout 3-2 to see City finish in sixth place.
“Ultimately, we didn’t bring home the trophy, but the boys performed extremely well against some of the best youth opposition in the world,” Zappia said.
“They showcased the quality of football they can play and beautifully demonstrated our City style of play.”
“The individuals within the team certainly displayed their qualities and showed that they can not only match it with some of the best youth players in the world, but exceed the levels of many of the top players in Europe. We’re extremely proud of how we went about it.”
Zappia also praised the role of City Football Group in helping shape the experience.
“A special thank you to everyone in the City Football Group who helped us before and during our time in Manchester. It was brilliant for the boys to be able to stay and live like professionals out of the City Football Academy.
“These kinds of experiences are something we want to give the players. Over the coming years, they’re not only going to go into youth national team setups, but also hopefully go on to travel with our First Team – not just interstate, but to tournaments like the AFC Champions League where they’ll have to prepare and perform under pressure.”
The trip was another successful chapter in the development of our next generation of stars – a group that continues to make Melbourne City proud on the world stage.
