Enjoy yourselves in France, VW boys are told
JOBURG - Volkswagen Group South Africa boss tells young football stars during their farewell event to enjoy the experience.
Fourteen youngsters, mainly from Alexandra, jetted off on 12 May to represent Volkswagen South Africa at the 2016 Volkswagen Junior World Masters Soccer tournament in France.
The U13 team comprising players from Wanderers Warriors, Real Madrid in Alexandra and Balfour Park junior soccer clubs, is one of the 21 teams that will be competing in the tournament to be held at the headquarters of the French Football Federation in Clairefontaine en Yvelines from 13 to 16 May.
The countries that will be represented at this year’s tournament include Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, USA and Senegal.
This year’s tournament coincides with the 2016 European Championship which will be hosted by France in June. The Volkswagen South Africa team is represented by the dealership group Hatfield VW, the champions of the 2015 Volkswagen Junior Masters tournament which took place in December last year in Johannesburg.
The 2015 tournament was contested by 16 teams formed by Volkswagen dealerships in South Africa. This is the fourth team to represent Volkswagen South Africa at this international soccer tournament.
“The team of 2016 is probably the best and most talented we have had since Volkswagen South Africa first participated in Junior Masters competition in 2010. We have full confidence in the youngsters and their two coaches to represent South Africa with pride and dignity,” said Thomas Schaefer, chairman and managing director of Volkswagen Group South Africa.
“We told the players during their farewell event [in Sandton at the VWSA offices] to enjoy the experience of playing and showcasing their soccer skills against international teams. They were also encouraged to enjoy the opportunity this tournament presented to them to travel outside South Africa for the first time.”
