Youth Soccer News: So-Cal Youth Shine in Brazil

San Diego's youth soccer club CV Manchester traveled to Brazil, taking their championship BU15 soocer players to discover the passion of soccer on the other side of the world.  Director of Coaching Jeff Illingworth lead the trip and his team came back realzing the world is a small place and that the passion for soccer is shared deeply by many people of all ages and from all countries.  And that this Southern California team could hold their own against the youth of Brazil.

In early August, the Carmel Valley Manchester U15 boys’ team departed San Diego for a two-week trip to Brazil.  The boys were hosted in São Paulo by two local families in magnificent homes with maids, cooks, drivers and dedicated tour guides. The team also traveled to Santos and Juquehy, coastal communities south of Rio de Janeiro.  Over the course of the trip, the fifteen boys from CV Manchester benefited from three hours of daily training with Brazilian coaches and young professional players, and also played seven games.

Manchester U15 boys in red and Sao Paulo Futebol Club U15 boys in white

Manchester went 2-4-1 during the trip while playing prominent professional sides, such as São Paulo Futebol Club, Corinthians FC, Palmeiras FC and National.  Their record included a tough 0-2 loss to a much older Corinthians team. “The Brazilian coaches were amazed at the level of skill and knowledge of the Manchester players,” said Jeff Illingworth, the Director of Coaching at Manchester.

The team’s best game was against Palmeiras where the American boys stormed back from a halftime deficit of 1-0 to score 3 second half goals and secure a 3-1 win. “At halftime, I reminded them of what they were playing for and why we were here, that these are the types of games we train for,” said Illingworth.  “We had held possession for most of the first half, so I knew we could come back.  Their competitive response was brilliant, and it impressed a lot of local coaches and scouts.”

One of the key takeaways from the trip was the level of commitment Brazil has to soccer.  “To say soccer is practically a religion in Brazil is an understatement,” said Illingworth about a country where boys train intensively six days a week.  One of the highlights of the trip was two days of training at the famed training grounds of the São Paulo Futebol Club in the suburbs of São Paulo.  The training complex, which is the home to 65 young pro players with the São Paulo Futebol Club, stretches over 75 acres and is a modern campus layout of dorms, dining halls, medical and training facilities, and indoor and outdoor soccer fields.

The boys also attended two professional games, joining tens of thousands of fans singing, dancing and cheering.  In the first game, they joined a raucous crowd of Paulistas (the local São Paulo fans) cheering for the city’s new darling -- Corinthians FC, who currently sit on top of the table in the Serie A.  The game was played at Morumbi Stadium, which is São Paolo’s second largest stadium.

Manchester U15s in red and Palmeiras FC U15s in green

Manchester was also hosted in the VIP suite by the São Paulo Futebol Club to watch their Serie A team play.  It was a magical experience for the boys as they were hosted like celebrities at Pacaebu Stadium, the biggest in Sao Paulo and often home to the Brazilian National Team.

The final two days of the trip were spent in the town of Juquehy, near Santos – the home of soccer legend Pele. The Manchester boys enjoyed the beautiful beaches, barbecues, surfing, and beach soccer in this lovely seaside community. Before leaving, the boys played one final game against a local team whose players were mostly sons of local fishermen.

Prior to the game, the Brazilian coach showed off his team’s impressive trophy collection to Coach Illingworth and the CV Manchester youth soccer team. The local boys were very confident in their ability, and the entire community was excited to have their team playing a squad from America. Fifteen minutes into the game, though, Brazilian confidence had turned to frustration as the American CV Manchester took control of the game, outplaying their hosts and taking a big lead. After the game all was well as the Manchester boys gave out T-shirts and pins to the local boys and girls.

When asked about the teams CV Manchester faced, central midfield player Roman Martin said, “We certainly match up well in terms of pace, organization and even physical play.  I think what was most impressive was their ability to consistently get numbers forward and to put you under pressure.”  After getting over their jet lag and making some adjustments to the Brazilian style of play, Martin said that Manchester grew increasingly competitive in each game.

Coach Jeff Illingworth, who organized the tour, credits his players for their skills, good behavior and humor. Despite playing in poor air quality and suffering jet lag, the boys remained upbeat and organized against world class players. The team returned with wonderful memories and the unparalleled experience of training and playing in one of the greatest soccer countries in the world.

Returning to Southern California, Coach Illingworth noted, “If you want to be the best, you have to train and play with the best.  As a club, we’re committed to giving all of our boys’ and girls’ teams a positive, developmental experience.  In this case, our Brazil trip will be an experience that our boys will carry for a lifetime.  Furthermore, it has the added benefit of helping parents and players alike better understand ‘the beautiful game’ and why it has ascended to being the most dominant sport in the world.” The team now prepares for their regular season. Illingworth is a highly dedicated coach and a passionate man who deeply loves the game of soccer.

Congratulations to the fifteen members of the CV Manchester U15 team who participated in the Brazil trip: Lloyd Alexander, Bailey Buckley, Richard Cervantes, Enzo DeAngelis, Sergio Delgado, Kellen Gallagher, Gary Kaiser, Grayson Lyman, Roman Martin, Colin Morrison, Marcus Norris, Jonathan O’Hara, Arthur Pavlovsky, Ernest Reyes and Sergio Santana.

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