The Future Cup (officially known as the ABN AMRO Future Cup, and previously known as the AEGON Future Cup) is an annual friendly international youth tournament which is organized by the Dutch football club AFC Ajax.[1] The tournament is created for under-17 youth teams, and is held at De Toekomst, every year during the Easter weekend.[2] The tournament has been contested by some of the strongest under-17 teams in football, with FC Barcelona, Manchester United and Bayern Munich amongst the participating clubs.[3] The first five editions of the tournament were named after its main sponsor, the insurance company AEGON, before the Dutch state-owned bank ABN AMRO took over as the main sponsor of the event.[4] The tournament is broadcast on television in over 59 countries via Eredivisie Live, Eurosport and Fox Sports.[5][6][7]
| Founded | 2010 |
|---|---|
| Region | Worldwide |
| Number of teams | 8 |
| Current champions | Ajax (6th title) |
| Most successful club(s) | Ajax (6 titles) |
| Television broadcasters | ESPN Eurosport Ziggo Sport |
| Website | Official website |
Qualification
edit8 teams participate in the Future Cup every year.[8] Since Ajax are the tournament hosts, they are automatically entered, leaving 7 additional places available in the tournament.[9] Six of the spots can be filled with a simple registration of an under-17 team from any club, while national teams are also able to register, such as the China U-17 team did when it competed in the first edition of the competition.[10] The eighth and final position is filled by the winners of the Brazilian 'Craques Mongeral AEGON Future Cup - Um Torneio do Ajax' a parallel running competition for under-17 youth teams in South America which shares the same sponsor. The winner of that tournament is automatically seeded for the Future Cup in Amsterdam the next year, completing the 8 participants in the Cup challenge.[11]
Format
editThe draw takes place ahead of the last home match of the Ajax first team ahead of the Future Cup.[12] The 8 teams are then divided up into two groups during halftime of this match. The opening ceremony of the tournament takes place on the Friday evening before Easter, while the first matches are played on Holy Saturday. The first two group stage matches are played for each team on this day, while the last two group stage matches are then contested on Easter Sunday.[13] The finals are played on Monday, the second Easter day. The day starts with the matches for the 7th and 8th place, which are contested by the two teams who finished bottom of their groups.[14] Afterwards the two semi-finals are played.[15] The group winners of each group compete against the second place team of the other group, and after the two semi-finals the matches for 5th and 6th place are contested against the third place team from each group.[16] The matches for 3rd and 4th place are then contested amongst the losers of the Semi-finals, which is concluded by the Cup final, deciding the 1st and 2nd place.[17] The awards and trophies are awarded directly after the Final, at which all teams and coaches are present.[18]
Finals
editStatistics accurate as of ABN AMRO Future Cup 2024. [19]
| Year | Date | Winner | Result | Finalist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 April 2024 | Ajax |
2–1 | |
| 2023 | 10 April 2023 | Nordsjælland |
3–0 | |
| 2020–22 | — | – | Cancelled* | – |
| 2019 | 22 April 2019 | Juventus |
2–1 | |
| 2018 | 2 April 2018 | Ajax |
2–0 | |
| 2017 | 17 April 2017 | Ajax |
2–0 | |
| 2016 | 28 March 2016 | Arsenal |
0–0 (4-3 pen.) | |
| 2015 | 6 April 2015 | Anderlecht |
0–0 (4-3 pen.) | |
| 2014 | 21 April 2014 | Ajax |
2–1 | |
| 2013 | 1 April 2013 | Anderlecht |
2–0 | |
| 2012 | 9 April 2012 | Ajax |
2–2 (5–3 pen.) | |
| 2011 | 25 April 2011 | Anderlecht |
1–0 | |
| 2010 | 5 April 2010 | Ajax |
1–0 |
- Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands
Prizes
editThe winner of the Future Cup are obvious winners of the tournament. For this information please see the next segment below. Other prizes are however awarded in conclusion, which are handed out by prominent former and current Ajax members, with Frank de Boer, Martin Jol and Luis Suárez amongst those who have awarded the trophies.[20] The man of the tournament is selected and awarded the adidas Best player of ABN AMRO Future Cup award. Below is a list of the prize winners over the years:
| Year | Player | Club: |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | ||
| 2023 | ||
| 2019 | ||
| 2018 | ||
| 2017 | ||
| 2016 | ||
| 2015 | ||
| 2014 | ||
| 2013 | ||
| 2012 | ||
| 2011 | ||
| 2010 |
Every year the prize adidas Top Scorer of ABN AMRO Future Cup is awarded to the top-scorer of the tournament. Since the 2023 tournament, the award has been renamed the Noah Gesser Trophy in honour of the U16 Ajax talent who had died in a car accident in 2021.[21] Below is a list of the top-scorers for each year:
| Year | Topscorer | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 3 | ||
| 2023 | 4 | ||
| 2019 | 4 | ||
| 2018 | 5 | ||
| 2014 | 4 | ||
| 2013 | 3 | ||
| 2012 | 3 | ||
| 2011 | 4 | ||
| 2010 | 6 |
Statistics
editAppearances and best results
editStatistics accurate as of ABN AMRO Future Cup 2024.
| Nr. | Club | Apps | First App. | Best result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 12 | 2010 | Winners | |
| 12 | 2010 | |||
| 5 | 2015 | |||
| 2 | 2016 | |||
| 2 | 2023 | |||
| 2. | 4 | 2010 | Runners-up | |
| 2 | 2010 | |||
| 2 | 2010 | |||
| 1 | 2012 | |||
| 1 | 2024 | |||
| 3. | 5 | 2017 | Third place | |
| 4 | 2010 | |||
| 4 | 2013 | |||
| 3 | 2010 | |||
| 2 | 2017 | |||
| 1 | 2015 | |||
| 4. | 2 | 2018 | Fourth place | |
| 1 | 2011 | |||
| 1 | 2013 | |||
| 1 | 2019 | |||
| 5. | 3 | 2011 | Fifth place | |
| 2 | 2011 | |||
| 1 | 2012 | |||
| 1 | 2018 | |||
| 1 | 2019 | |||
| 1 | 2023 | |||
| 6. | 2 | 2013 | Sixth place | |
| 1 | 2011 | |||
| 1 | 2013 | |||
| 1 | 2015 | |||
| 1 | 2016 | |||
| 1 | 2024 | |||
| 7. | 1 | 2012 | Seventh place | |
| 1 | 2014 | |||
| 1 | 2015 | |||
| 1 | 2016 | |||
| 1 | 2018 | |||
| 1 | 2019 | |||
| 1 | 2023 | |||
| 8. | 2 | 2023 | Eighth place | |
| 1 | 2010 | |||
| 1 | 2014 | |||
| 1 | 2016 |
All-time cup winners
edit| Cups | Club | In: |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 2010, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2024 | |
| 3 | 2011, 2013, 2015 | |
| 1 | 2023 | |
| 1 | 2019 | |
| 1 | 2016 |
All-time top-scorers
editStatistics accurate as of AEGON Future Cup 2024.
| Nr. | Player | Nationality | Goals | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Naci Ünüvar | 7 | Ajax | |
| 2. | Dominik Goßner | 6 | Bayern Munich | |
| 3. | Winsley Boteli | 4 | Borussia Mönchengladbach | |
| Anouar Ait El Hadj | 4 | Anderlecht | ||
| Nicholas Pasifakis | 4 | Ajax Cape Town | ||
| Patrick Foss | 4 | D.C. United | ||
| Oluwaseyi Ojo | 4 | Liverpool | ||
| Harry Wilson | 4 | Liverpool | ||
| 9. | Václav Černý | 3 | Ajax | |
| Aaron Leya Iseka | 3 | Anderlecht | ||
| Elton Acolatse | 3 | Ajax | ||
| Ademir Candido | 3 | Desportivo Brasil | ||
| Marco Pinato | 3 | Milan | ||
| Alperen Doğan | 3 | Beşiktaş JK | ||
| Rafael Camacho | 3 | Sporting CP | ||
| Oumar Camara | 3 | Paris Saint-German | ||
| Jinairo Johnson | 3 | Ajax | ||
| Divine Mukasa | 3 | Manchester City | ||
| Lazar Radosavljević | 3 | Partizan |
Participation by country
editThe under-17 youth teams of the following clubs have participated in the Future Cup tournament in the past.
|
|
|
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Anderlecht winaar AEGON Future Cup". FOX Sports. Archived from the original on 30 November 2014. Retrieved 2013-11-03.
- ^ "Paasweekend in teken van de AEGON Future Cup". FOX Sports. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ "Leren staat centraal bij AEGON Future Cup". Parool.nl. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ "Ajax introduceert ABN AMRO Future Cup". AjaxShowtime. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
- ^ "AEGON Future Cup geopend". Ajax.nl. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 2013-11-03.
- ^ "AEGON Future Cup wereldwijd op TV". Ajax.nl. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ "2014 World Cup: Is Belgium football's coming force?". CNN. 10 October 2013. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ "FC Dallas Juniors Playing in AEGON Future Cup". ESPN. 30 March 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ "AEGON Future Cup: Ajax & Bayern München". Ajax.nl. Archived from the original on 11 May 2013. Retrieved 2013-11-03.
- ^ "Ajax Cape Town Finish Fifth At Future Cup". Soccer Laduma. Archived from the original on 4 November 2013. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ "Responsabilidade Social no Esporte". Craques Mongeral Aegon. Archived from the original on 15 December 2014. Retrieved 2013-11-03.
- ^ "Wim Jonk opent AEGON Future Cup". Ajax.nl. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 2013-11-03.
- ^ "Ajax B1 na drie zeges groepswinnaar op Future Cup". Ajaxlife. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ "Aegon Future Cup Wrap Up". TorontoFC.ca. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ "AEGON Future Cup: Uitslag van Poulefase". Ajax1.nl. 31 March 2013. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ "Anderlecht defeat Ajax to clinch Aegon Future Cup". Goal.com. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ "Young Reds through to final". manutd.com. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ "AEGON Future Cup mooi meetmoment". Ajax.nl. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ "Uitslagen AEGON Future Cup". AEGON - Hoofdsponsor van Ajax. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ "Klaassen uitgeroepen tot beste speler". Ajax.nl. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ "FC Nordsjælland wint Future Cup". Ajax.nl. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
External links
edit- Official website (in Dutch and English)