Young
players from 40 countries around the world played at the National Stadium in
Warsaw. The event was an excellent way to promote football among the youngest
population in Poland and abroad. Almost 41 000 spectators watched this all
day event. From the very first minutes of the final game spectators could watch
great actions in the game of equal rivals.
The
outcome of the final was sealed by penalty goals which set the result of the
match at 2:1. “We are more than happy to be here. It was a great
adventure and experience for us. We will remember this for the rest of our life” - said Yuseok from the best team of Danone Nations Cup
2012 World Final.
After the game Franck Riboud awarded trophy to the
winners and gave special awards for: best goalkeeper from Italy, best attacker
from France and best Tournament player from Japan. The special Fair Play prize
was awarded to the Ireland team.
The
ranking is based on all the observations and notations made by the 4th referees
throughout the tournament. Their role was to fill in the evaluation grids
taking into account sportsmanship and their general behavior (team spirit,
respect of others…).
Zinédine Zidane complimented
not only teams play, but also the spirit of the event: “The Poland and
organization look very well. I like the Stadium which looks very professional.
Also the atmosphere of the event is very friendly. Yesterday I had nice meeting
with kid’s and today’s final was a good continuation of this positive emotional
spirit” –
said Zidane. Gheorghe Hagi and Tsuyoshi KitazawaI, local Ambassadors in Romania
and Japan, were also attending to encourage the kids and kick off the ball of
their final matches.
The Danone Nations Cup in
Poland enjoyed a large audience. There were many activities for families both
in the National Stadium and in the Family Fun Zone in front of it. The profit
of the day was donated to the program “Share Your Meal” dedicated to children.
The Danone Nations Cup is designed for
children aged 10-12 (U-12). Each year, the tournament engages over 2.5 million
young players on 5 continents. Forty winning teams meet at the World Final to
fulfill their dreams of playing against peers in a professional stadium, always
respecting Fair Play rules.
The Danone Nations Cup provides a unique
opportunity to play in iconic football stadiums around the world.
Where
will the 2013 final take place then? During the press conference Franck Riboud
announced that nexts’ year edition will be organized in London!
