Chennaiyin FC-Norwich City FC Inter-School Football Championship Showcases Future Stars as St. Bedes & Don Bosco Win

40 Young Talents Shortlisted for Chennaiyin FC Academy Trials After Month-Long Tournament

Chennai, February 22, 2025: The month-long Chennaiyin FC-Norwich City FC Inter-School Football Championship 2025 concluded on Sunday with St. Bedes Anglo Indian Hr. Sec. School – Santhome lifting the Under-12 title and Don Bosco Higher Secondary School (Perambur) claiming victory in the Under-14 category. The tournament, held in the presence of the Reliance Foundation, featured 64 teams and more than 1150 students across two age groups.

In the U-12 final, St. Bedes edged past Madras Christian College Matriculation Higher Secondary School in a tense 3-2 penalty shootout after a goalless draw. In the U-14 final, Don Bosco (Perambur) dominated with a 6-0 victory over Bhavans Rajaji Vidyashram. Along the sidelines, CFC scouts shortlisted 40 promising players, who will now undergo trials for a potential spot in the Chennaiyin FC academy.

Adding to the excitement, CFC first-team stars Irfan Yadwad and Lukas Brambilla were in attendance at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium B-Ground for the finals, observing keenly as the competition reached its thrilling conclusion.

“It’s important from a young age to play because it helps in growth. I began playing at a young age along with my studies, which helped me and my parents a lot. If you are passionate, you have to continue playing to achieve something in life–just believe in yourself and work hard,” Irfan said. “Such school tournaments helped me a lot, too, because I used to play in them frequently. Scouts obviously come and watch these games and keep tabs on you. It helps a lot when you’re young.”

“The performances were really good. These kinds of tournaments are good for the kids to enjoy the game, enjoy football. This is a great opportunity that the club has provided for the children to display their footballing abilities and of course, Chennaiyin can recruit players who have shown great promise,” Brambilla added.

The tournament showcased young talent in a structured, professional setting, allowing each player ample time to display their talent. CFC also aimed to bridge the gap between grassroots football and youth leagues, identifying promising players for the next level.

“This tournament was significant on two fronts. Firstly, it gave kids invaluable 11-v-11 experience with ample playing time akin to a professional environment, far more than the usual 12-15 minutes they usually get. As a result, over the month, we saw real development. Also, with the Chennaiyin FC youth leagues’ bar set at U-13 and U-15, this helped us assess potential at a younger age. We have identified kids, who we can prepare through training camps, and eventually enrol into the CFC academy,” said A Sagayaraj, CFC Soccer School Head Coach.

Pupil Saveetha Eco School Katupakam’s Kevin D Cruz (10 goals) and Hindustan International’s Taman Krish (9 goals) emerged as top scorers in the U-14 and U-12 categories, respectively. Don Bosco’s S Rajneesh Arya and Madras Christian College’s Mithun Anand claimed the Golden Glove honours. While Kevin is a member of the CFC Soccer School, Rajneesh is already part of the CFC youth setup.