New Delhi [India], July 10 (ANI): Special Olympics Bharat president Dr Mallika Nadda spoke on India's participation in the Gothia Cup 2025, being held at Sweden, the world's largest youth football tournament, saying that the SOB team and an under-15 Haryana women's team will be featuring in the tournament.

The tournament is the world's largest youth football tournament, which witnesses participation from around 1,900 teams and 75 nations, playing almost 5,000 games on 112 pitches, as per the tournament's website. The first-ever tournament was held back in 1975 and was kick-started by football clubs BK Hacken and GAIS, and a local newspaper. This year, from July 13 to 19, it will take place in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Speaking on India's participation, Nadda said to the media, 'The Gothia Cup 2025 is being organised in Sweden, where 70 countries from around the world will participate, and approximately 1,900 teams will assemble to play football. The Special Olympics Bharat and the Haryana girls' under-15 team are leaving today for Sweden to participate in the tournament.'

On the participation of the Indian contingent, Ambassador of Sweden to India, Jan Thesleff, said to media, 'We are sending two teams to the Gothia Cup 2025, the world's largest youth football tournament. Over 40,000 athletes and 1,950 teams from more than 70 countries will participate. We are proud that India is well represented. One team is from Haryana, the girls' under-15 team, in which many players are travelling abroad for the first time. They have demonstrated their skills for this tournament. We also have a Special Olympics Bharat team, which is competing for the second time after winning in 2024, and we are proud to send champions again...'

Back in 2023, Minerva Academy FC made history as it became the first-ever Indian club to clinch the Gothia Cup, being held in Sweden, defeating Ordin FC, a Brazilian side. Minerva beat Ordin by 3-1 in the Boys 13 category.

Last year, the SO Bharat team was placed in Group 5 along with Parasport Denmark 2, Special Olympics Finland Mixed, Special Olympics Hong Kong, and Special Olympics Germany 1. SO Bharat won their opening group game against SO Finland 3-0, and then followed it up with a big win of 6-0 against SO Germany. The Indian contingent won over Hong Kong by 6-0 in Match 3, and then followed it up with another big win by 3-1 against SO Denmark to make it into the Final.

The nail-biting group final between SO Bharat and SO Denmark went right down to the wire, but SO Bharat athletes won the thriller with a score of 4-3 to lift the trophy. Muhammad Shaheer, who hails from Kerala, scored seven goals, the maximum by any Indian player. Shaheer, a son of fisherman, has an Intellectual disability and nurtures a passion for football along with other sports, including cycling and swimming. (ANI)