adidas today announced the fourth edition of the FC Bayern Youth Cup in India 2017, an under-16, seven-a-side inter-school football tournament that will see the top school teams from New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolkata compete against each other and give budding footballers a platform to showcase their talent.

German 1974 FIFA World Cup winner and FC Bayern Munich legend, Paul Breitner, will select the 10 best players from the top eight teams who make it for the Nationals Finals, and these 10 players shall represent ‘Team India’ in the FC Bayern Youth Cup World Finals in Munich in May 2017. The motive is to encourage all the players to give their best till the final match. The selected players will also get a chance to watch a Bundesliga match at the iconic Allianz Arena. The championship will kick start from mid-November 2016 and conclude on December 4, 2016 at adidas, The Base in New Delhi.

Talking about the tournament, Hrishikesh Shende, Director Football, adidas India, said, “Football as a sport has grown tremendously in India over the last decade. With tournaments like FC Bayern Youth Cup, we want to provide young talented football players an opportunity to compete with, and test their skills in an international environment. This year, Paul Breitner will scout the top 10 players from the tournament who will represent ‘Team India’ at the World Finals and I am sure this will encourage the players to perform exceptionally well, to gain a spot in the final!”

Paul Breitner, former FC Bayern Munich player and winner of the 1974 FIFA World Cup with Germany, who will be in India for the National Finals said, “I am really excited for the FC Bayern Youth Cup to begin and I will be monitoring the progress of the teams I have always enjoyed watching young footballers develop their skills and I am looking forward to share my knowledge and experience with the young players during the national finals in India. Within the last six years I have been visiting India five times already and I am very happy to observe the good development of youth football in the country.”

(adidas Press Release)