The countdown for the 11th INTERNATIONAL HELVETIA CUP- Football for Inclusion 2022 running...
St. Gallen is not the only city to be prepared for the upcoming INTERNATIONAL HELVETIA CUP 2022 The players with and without disabilities are also waiting in the wings. The teams from Paris, Marseille, London and Lisbon arrived in St. Gallen today. Chelsea FC already arrived this morning. Paris Saint Germain joined them this afternoon and have already completed their first training session at the Gündenmoos stadium. The players from Olympique de Marseille, Rangers FC Glasgow and Benfica Lisbon will arrive this evening.
Opening ceremony at the Gründenmoos stadium in St. Gallen in the spirit of inclusion
On Thursday, twelve U17 teams and eleven teams with people with disabilities from all over Europe, together with the FE12/FE13 youth and women's teams from the St. Gallen region, officially opened the 11th INTERNATIONAL HELVETIA CUP - Football for Inclusion 2022 at the Gründemoos stadium.
Numerous football players with and without disabilities from eight nations, women, men, children, young people and adults entered the Gründenmoos stadium together to celebrate the 11th INTERNATIONAL HELVETIA CUP - Football for Inclusion 2022 to open. They are all different, but they all share the same passion. They are all united by their love of football.
The opening speeches were given by Cantonal Councillor Jens Jäger, President of FC St. Gallen, Matthias Hüppi, Robert Breitner from the Swiss Football Association and Mr Hanspeter Rothmund, Managing Director of the organiser, the non-profit association FOOTBALL IS MORE.
Following the opening ceremony, the first matches were kicked off: the U17 tournament was opened by FC. St Gallen and FC Lugano. The tournament for people with disabilities, the Special European Cupkicked off with a match between Benfica Lisbon and Chelsea FC. The FF15 girls' team from played against Team Liechtenstein and the youth teams from FC St. Gallen and FC Will competed for their first victory.
The first day of the tournament ended with a dinner for all the players at the Gründenmoos stadium. Moments of exchange that are just as important as the games themselves, because this inclusive event is about more than just sport. The participating athletes with and without disabilities spent a week experiencing inclusion on and off the pitch so that they could carry these experiences from the football pitch into their everyday lives.
The ball is rolling for inclusion in the heart of St. Gallen
On Friday, it was the passion for football that brought footballers with and without disabilities together at St. Gallen's Klosterplatz.
At the monastery square in St. Gallen, it was all about inclusion. Footballers with and without disabilities played a friendly tournament in mixed, inclusive teams.
This included the amputee football team from Olympique de Marseille, who played with crutches alongside youth and girls' teams from Wil and St. Gallen in a joint team. The U-17 players from Paris Saint Germain led a warm-up session with the youngsters with disabilities and clearly had a lot of fun. The young players from VfB Stuttgart cheered on their team of players with disabilities with enthusiasm. At Klosterplatz, it was once again clear to see how much sport brings people together.
The matches were kicked off by Dominique Blanc, President of the Swiss Football Association and patron of the INTERNATIONAL HELVETIA CUPS - Football for Inclusion 2022, the sporting event as part of which today's inclusion tournament took place on Klosterplatz. With this commitment, the SFA President clearly demonstrates the association's social engagement: "This tournament symbolises our mission, said Dominique Blanc, "Football is integration in action. And football is inclusion. People from all over the world and each and every individual in his or her uniqueness come together. Playing and training together. Pursue goals together. Celebrate together or bear the pain of defeat together. Football unites. Football unites."
The event concluded with a party and concert for all players in Gallusstrasse, which was open to the public. An opportunity to make friends across supposed borders and get to know the football stars of tomorrow in a friendly atmosphere.
Parallel to the inclusion tournament at Klosterplatz, the international U17 tournament continued at Gründenmoos. The action here was exciting. After the first few games, there was no clear favourite. All twelve teams fought high-calibre duels at eye level.
Inclusive training as part of the Special European Cup
Former Chelsea FC foundation head coach Andy Rose led an inclusive training session at the Gründenmoos stadium on Saturday.
The day began with an inclusive training session led by former Chelsea FC foundation head coach, Andy Rose, together with all the inclusion coaches from the Special Adventure Cup. Players with disabilities and the U17 football coaches took part. I Camaleonti FC Lugano coach, Boris Angelucci, said after the training session: "Today on the pitch I have both taught and learnt. In an inclusive training session, everyone benefits from who participates and who teaches. ".
The tournament then continued with the Special European Cup and the U17 tournament. After exciting matches, the teams from Olympique de Marseille, Paris Saint-Germain, SV Werder Bremen and local favourite FC St. Gallen 1879 made it through to the semi-finals.
Final matches of the International Helvetia Cup. A single winner: inclusion
SV Werder Bremen and FC St. Gallen 1879 won the semi-finals of the U17 tournament on penalties. The FC St. Gallen 1879 goalkeeper shone with two saves. In the final, the home team lost 1:0 and the happy winners celebrated exuberantly together with the team for people with disabilities.
The Special European Cup trophy went to Benfica Lisbon, but the real winner of this year's International Helvetia Cup was inclusion.
The final matches of the Special European Cup took place today at Gründenmoos with a full stadium and thunderous applause from the U17 players of the respective teams. The four days spent together on and off the pitch visibly brought the youngsters with and without disabilities from the twelve participating clubs closer together.
