Generation adidas Cup is one of the season’s highlights for MLS clubs across the country and for many international clubs who make the trip to partake in the prestigious tournament.
With a host of coaches, scouts, and sporting directors present, GA Cup is a way for academy teams to compete against the best while also showcasing some of the best young players in the world.
This year, Charlotte FC participated in their third GA Cup since the inception of the Academy. It had its highs and lows, but it was a challenge that helps all who travel grow.
“Between the opponents, the high-quality games that you're getting, the length of the tournaments, the amount of concentration and the mentality that it takes to succeed and survive...,” explained Executive Director of the Academy Bryan Scales. “This event really tests the players, the staff, the coaches, everybody.”
Regardless of what the results are and how far you go in the tournament, it’s an invaluable experience that is difficult to replicate in any other environment in the world.
U-17
For Charlotte’s U-17s, the tournament didn’t go the way they had hoped, as they fell short in their group to secure qualification for the Championship knockout rounds. Nevertheless, their display of true resilience and tenacity throughout the matches, as well as how they ended the tournament, was commendable.
“The 17s had to really grind out the results they had,” said Scales. “They had a little bit of a difficult time scoring goals, so they were in every game, but they lost more games because they just couldn't get a timely goal.
“But I was most proud of the 17s because of the way they finished the event. They beat Monterey 2-0 on the last day of the event. It’s a very difficult game to play in, but our guys and the staff showed an exceptional level of professionalism.”
Despite results not going their way, the U-17s experienced growth throughout the tournament and can take pride in their ability to compete head-to-head with some of the world's premier academies.
Results
Group Play
FC Dallas 1 : 0 Charlotte FC
Charlotte FC 1 : 1 Club Necaxa (NCX Win Penalty Shootout)
Toronto FC 2 : 1 Charlotte FC
Consolation Groups
Charlotte FC 2 : 2 Colorado Rapids (CLT Win Penalty Shootout)
Charlotte FC 1 : 3 Atlético Nacional
AZ Alkmaar 1 : 0 Charlotte FC
Charlotte FC 2 : 0 C.F. Monterrey
U-15
The U-15s had a contrasting experience compared to the U-17s, securing victories in nearly all of their matches and advancing to the knockout rounds of the Championship, where they were defeated in penalties by eventual finalists, Toulouse FC.
“The 15s had a very, very good week,” said Scales. “They were one of the top teams at the event, and that includes international teams. We had some exceptional performances against several MLS teams and international teams.”
The success they achieved in MLS Next seamlessly transitioned into the heightened competition of the GA Cup. It’s a talented generation for the Academy that needed to be tested in a different environment, and they passed with flying colors.
“The next goal is to start to really accelerate their development so that you can have more and more Academy players jumping into that Crown Legacy environment and seeing what it looks like from a professional level.”
Results
Championship
Round of 16 - Toulouse FC 1 : 1 Charlotte FC (Toulouse Advance With Penalty Shootout Win)
Group Play
Charlotte FC 1 : 1 Club Necaxa (CLT Win Penalty Shootout)
Sporting Kansas City 2 : 1 Charlotte FC
Charlotte FC 2 : 0 San Jose Earthquakes
Showcase
Charlotte FC 2 : 2 St. Louis City (CLT Win Penalty Shootout)
Charlotte FC 1 : 0 FC Cincinnati
Sporting CP 1 : 3 Charlotte FC
The commendable performances of both teams are a testament to the talent within the region and the consistent guidance provided to the players daily.
"I was really proud of the staff to be able to navigate the tournament with professionalism and a really positive mentality to navigate the entire tournament,” praised Scales.
“I think as we move into the final stretches of this season and into next season, the players are really fortunate to have a dedicated group of support staff around them helping them on their pathway.”
Looking ahead to the Academy's final couple months of the season, the primary objectives are to secure qualification for the MLS Next Playoffs and to facilitate the progression of players into the second team, Crown Legacy FC. The experience gained in the GA Cup serves as a valuable asset in achieving both of these goals.
“I said to the players after the event: you're a better team coming out of that event than you were going in.”
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