The PSG Macau Youth GBA Tournament is slated to take place at the Macau Worker’s Stadium from February 7 to 9 – and Yannick Ngassa, CEO of the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) Academy Hong Kong & Macau, said yesterday he hoped to make the tournament for U9-to-U15 players an annual event as a platform for the development of local youth football.
According to Ngassa, outstanding players will be selected, through a total of nine matches, to join the PSG Academy for professional training and may participate in the PSG World Cup in Paris.
Ngassa made the remarks in an interview with the Post at the Macau Worker’s Stadium near the Barrier Gate checkpoint after a meeting with Sports Bureau (ID) President Luís Gomes yesterday morning.
Expressing enthusiasm for organising regular tournaments in Macau in the future, Ngassa said: “In the future we’re going to be having this [tournament] every year and every year we’re going to keep extending [it] to more teams. This time we’re going to be in the GBA and, possibly next year, we want to attract even people from outside the GBA, possibly even Europe. So, we’re going to start this year as a second try again, but going forward we’re going to make it as one of the biggest events,” adding he believed that Macau football needs breakthrough players to reach a higher level and inspire the nation.
Commenting on Macau’s strengths, he pointed out that despite the city’s ability to host grand events like the NBA and its annual Macau Grand Prix (MGP), there was still a lack of opportunities for local youths to get involved in sport, making the Macau Youth GBA Tournament a valuable addition.
The tournament has invited 28 youth football teams from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA) to participate, and is expected to attract tens of thousands of football “elites” and fans from both local and neighbouring regions, according to the organisers.
Joeph Jessel, general manager of the PSG Academy Hong Kong & Macau, reminded the tournament players that the event’s primary goal was to allow them to have fun and enjoy the experience, focusing on the development of friendships and memories rather than just competition. He said: “It’s not only about the competitive aspect or who will win, who will lose. For us it’s very important for the kids to get it [fun] and get amazing moments they will not forget, they will never forget”.
Jessel also said that Macau has the potential to compete with other regions, citing the high level of involvement and training among local kids: “Macau has a very huge community in football with what we have seen so far. So, it’s important for us to help this community to grow up with this kind of events”.
This will be the second time the tournament will be taking place in Macau; the first time was a trial run last year. The presence of Pedro Miguel Pauleta, the second all-time top scorer for Portugal with 47 goals, will be one of the features of next month’s tournament.
Paris Saint-Germain Football Club, commonly referred to as Paris Saint-Germain or simply PSG, is a professional football club based in Paris. They compete in Ligue 1, the top division of French football.
This poster provided by the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) Academy Hong Kong & Macau shows details of its Macau Youth GBA Tournament slated for next month.
PSG Academy Hong Kong & Macau CEO Yannick Ngassa (left) and PSG Academy Hong Kong & Macau General Manager Joeph Jessel pose after yesterday’s interview with the Post. – Photos: Yuki Lei
