Future Cup

ABN AMRO Future Cup
Founded2010
RegionWorldwide
Number of teams8
Current championsAjax (6th title)
Most successful club(s)Ajax (6 titles)
Television broadcastersESPN
Eurosport
Ziggo Sport
WebsiteOfficial website

The Future Cup (officially known as the ABN AMRO Future Cup, and previously known as the AEGON Future Cup) is an annual friendly international youth tournament which is organized by the Dutch football club AFC Ajax.[1] The tournament is created for under-17 youth teams, and is held at De Toekomst, every year during the Easter weekend.[2] The tournament has been contested by some of the strongest under-17 teams in football, with FC Barcelona, Manchester United and Bayern Munich amongst the participating clubs.[3] The first five editions of the tournament were named after its main sponsor, the insurance company AEGON, before the Dutch state-owned bank ABN AMRO took over as the main sponsor of the event.[4] The tournament is broadcast on television in over 59 countries via Eredivisie Live, Eurosport and Fox Sports.[5][6][7]

Qualification

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8 teams participate in the Future Cup every year.[8] Since Ajax are the tournament hosts, they are automatically entered, leaving 7 additional places available in the tournament.[9] Six of the spots can be filled with a simple registration of an under-17 team from any club, while national teams are also able to register, such as the China U-17 team did when it competed in the first edition of the competition.[10] The eighth and final position is filled by the winners of the Brazilian 'Craques Mongeral AEGON Future Cup - Um Torneio do Ajax' a parallel running competition for under-17 youth teams in South America which shares the same sponsor. The winner of that tournament is automatically seeded for the Future Cup in Amsterdam the next year, completing the 8 participants in the Cup challenge.[11]

Format

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The draw takes place ahead of the last home match of the Ajax first team ahead of the Future Cup.[12] The 8 teams are then divided up into two groups during halftime of this match. The opening ceremony of the tournament takes place on the Friday evening before Easter, while the first matches are played on Holy Saturday. The first two group stage matches are played for each team on this day, while the last two group stage matches are then contested on Easter Sunday.[13] The finals are played on Monday, the second Easter day. The day starts with the matches for the 7th and 8th place, which are contested by the two teams who finished bottom of their groups.[14] Afterwards the two semi-finals are played.[15] The group winners of each group compete against the second place team of the other group, and after the two semi-finals the matches for 5th and 6th place are contested against the third place team from each group.[16] The matches for 3rd and 4th place are then contested amongst the losers of the Semi-finals, which is concluded by the Cup final, deciding the 1st and 2nd place.[17] The awards and trophies are awarded directly after the Final, at which all teams and coaches are present.[18]

Finals

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Statistics accurate as of ABN AMRO Future Cup 2024. [19]

Year Date Winner Result Finalist
2024 1 April 2024 Ajax Netherlands 2–1 Serbia Partizan
2023 10 April 2023 Nordsjælland Denmark 3–0 Netherlands Ajax
2020–22 Cancelled*
2019 22 April 2019 Juventus Italy 2–1 Netherlands Ajax
2018 2 April 2018 Ajax Netherlands 2–0 Italy Juventus
2017 17 April 2017 Ajax Netherlands 2–0 Germany Bayern Munich
2016 28 March 2016 Arsenal England 0–0 (4-3 pen.) Belgium Anderlecht
2015 6 April 2015 Anderlecht Belgium 0–0 (4-3 pen.) Netherlands Ajax
2014 21 April 2014 Ajax Netherlands 2–1 England Liverpool
2013 1 April 2013 Anderlecht Belgium 2–0 Netherlands Ajax
2012 9 April 2012 Ajax Netherlands 2–2 (5–3 pen.) England Manchester United
2011 25 April 2011 Anderlecht Belgium 1–0 Netherlands Ajax
2010 5 April 2010 Ajax Netherlands 1–0 China China U-17

Prizes

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The winner of the Future Cup are obvious winners of the tournament. For this information please see the next segment below. Other prizes are however awarded in conclusion, which are handed out by prominent former and current Ajax members, with Frank de Boer, Martin Jol and Luis Suárez amongst those who have awarded the trophies.[20] The man of the tournament is selected and awarded the adidas Best player of ABN AMRO Future Cup award. Below is a list of the prize winners over the years:

Year Player Club:
2024 Netherlands Jinairo Johnson Netherlands Ajax
2023 Denmark Villum Berthelsen Denmark Nordsjælland
2019 Belgium Anouar Ait El Hadj Belgium Anderlecht
2018 Turkey Naci Ünüvar Netherlands Ajax
2017 Netherlands Ryan Gravenberch Netherlands Ajax
2016 Spain Riqui Puig Spain Barcelona
2015 Netherlands Matthijs de Ligt Netherlands Ajax
2014 Netherlands Abdelhak Nouri Netherlands Ajax
2013 Belgium Nabil Jaadi Belgium Anderlecht
2012 Netherlands Queensy Menig Netherlands Ajax
2011 Belgium Dennis Praet Belgium Anderlecht
2010 Netherlands Davy Klaassen Netherlands Ajax

Every year the prize adidas Top Scorer of ABN AMRO Future Cup is awarded to the top-scorer of the tournament. Since the 2023 tournament, the award has been renamed the Noah Gesser Trophy in honour of the U16 Ajax talent who had died in a car accident in 2021.[21] Below is a list of the top-scorers for each year:

Year Topscorer Club Goals
2024 Portugal Rafael Camacho
France Oumar Camara
Netherlands Jinairo Johnson
England Divine Mukasa
Serbia Lazar Radosavljević
Portugal Sporting CP
France Paris Saint-German
Netherlands Ajax
England Manchester City
Serbia Partizan
3
2023 Switzerland Winsley Boteli Germany Borussia Mönchengladbach 4
2019 Belgium Anouar Ait El Hadj Belgium Anderlecht 4
2018 Turkey Naci Ünüvar Netherlands Ajax 5
2014 England Oluwaseyi Ojo
Wales Harry Wilson
England Liverpool 4
2013 Czech Republic Václav Černý
Belgium Aaron Leya Iseka
Netherlands Ajax
Belgium Anderlecht
3
2012 Netherlands Elton Acolatse
Brazil Ademir Candido
Italy Marco Pinato
Turkey Alperen Doğan
Netherlands Ajax
Brazil Desportivo
Italy Milan
Turkey Beşiktaş JK
3
2011 South Africa Nicholas Pasifakis
United States Patrick Foss
South Africa Ajax Cape Town
United States D.C. United
4
2010 Germany Dominik Goßner Germany Bayern Munich 6

Statistics

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Appearances and best results

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Statistics accurate as of ABN AMRO Future Cup 2024.

Nr. Club Apps First App. Best result
1. Netherlands Ajax 12 2010 Winners
Belgium Anderlecht 12 2010
Italy Juventus 5 2015
England Arsenal 2 2016
Denmark Nordsjælland 2 2023
2. Germany Bayern Munich 4 2010 Runners-up
China China U-17 2 2010
England Liverpool 2 2010
England Manchester United 1 2012
Serbia Partizan 1 2024
3. France Paris Saint-German 5 2017 Third place
Spain Barcelona 4 2010
Portugal Benfica 4 2013
Italy Milan 3 2010
Japan J. League U-17 2 2017
Portugal Porto 1 2015
4. Portugal Sporting CP 2 2018 Fourth place
Brazil Fluminense 1 2011
Brazil São Paulo 1 2013
Spain Atlético Madrid 1 2019
5. Scotland Celtic 3 2011 Fifth place
South Africa Ajax Cape Town 2 2011
Brazil Desportivo Brasil 1 2012
Australia Sydney FC 1 2018
Argentina Boca Juniors 1 2019
Germany Borussia Mönchengladbach 1 2023
6. England Tottenham Hotspur 2 2013 Sixth place
United States D.C. United 1 2011
Canada Toronto FC 1 2013
Turkey Galatasaray 1 2015
Ghana Right to Dream 1 2016
England Manchester City 1 2024
7. Turkey Beşiktaş JK 1 2012 Seventh place
Brazil Corinthians 1 2014
Germany Schalke 04 1 2015
Austria Red Bull Salzburg 1 2016
Spain Sevilla FC 1 2018
Japan Sagan Tosu 1 2019
England Chelsea 1 2023
8. Mexico Pachuca 2 2023 Eighth place
United States FC Dallas 1 2010
Turkey Fenerbahçe 1 2014
Greece Olympiacos 1 2016

All-time cup winners

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Cups Club In:
6 Netherlands Ajax 2010, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2024
3 Belgium Anderlecht 2011, 2013, 2015
1 Denmark Nordsjælland 2023
1 Italy Juventus 2019
1 England Arsenal 2016

All-time top-scorers

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Statistics accurate as of AEGON Future Cup 2024.

Nr. Player Nationality Goals Club
1. Naci Ünüvar  Turkey 7 Ajax
2. Dominik Goßner  Germany 6 Bayern Munich
3. Winsley Boteli  Switzerland 4 Borussia Mönchengladbach
Anouar Ait El Hadj  Belgium 4 Anderlecht
Nicholas Pasifakis  South Africa 4 Ajax Cape Town
Patrick Foss  United States 4 D.C. United
Oluwaseyi Ojo  England 4 Liverpool
Harry Wilson  Wales 4 Liverpool
9. Václav Černý  Czech Republic 3 Ajax
Aaron Leya Iseka  Belgium 3 Anderlecht
Elton Acolatse  Netherlands 3 Ajax
Ademir Candido  Brazil 3 Desportivo Brasil
Marco Pinato  Italy 3 Milan
Alperen Doğan  Turkey 3 Beşiktaş JK
Rafael Camacho  Portugal 3 Sporting CP
Oumar Camara  France 3 Paris Saint-German
Jinairo Johnson  Netherlands 3 Ajax
Divine Mukasa  England 3 Manchester City
Lazar Radosavljević  Serbia 3 Partizan

Participation by country

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The under-17 youth teams of the following clubs have participated in the Future Cup tournament in the past.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Anderlecht winaar AEGON Future Cup". FOX Sports. Archived from the original on 30 November 2014. Retrieved 2013-11-03.
  2. ^ "Paasweekend in teken van de AEGON Future Cup". FOX Sports. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  3. ^ "Leren staat centraal bij AEGON Future Cup". Parool.nl. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  4. ^ "Ajax introduceert ABN AMRO Future Cup". AjaxShowtime. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  5. ^ "AEGON Future Cup geopend". Ajax.nl. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 2013-11-03.
  6. ^ "AEGON Future Cup wereldwijd op TV". Ajax.nl. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  7. ^ "2014 World Cup: Is Belgium football's coming force?". CNN. 10 October 2013. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  8. ^ "FC Dallas Juniors Playing in AEGON Future Cup". ESPN. 30 March 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  9. ^ "AEGON Future Cup: Ajax & Bayern München". Ajax.nl. Archived from the original on 11 May 2013. Retrieved 2013-11-03.
  10. ^ "Ajax Cape Town Finish Fifth At Future Cup". Soccer Laduma. Archived from the original on 4 November 2013. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  11. ^ "Responsabilidade Social no Esporte". Craques Mongeral Aegon. Archived from the original on 15 December 2014. Retrieved 2013-11-03.
  12. ^ "Wim Jonk opent AEGON Future Cup". Ajax.nl. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 2013-11-03.
  13. ^ "Ajax B1 na drie zeges groepswinnaar op Future Cup". Ajaxlife. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  14. ^ "Aegon Future Cup Wrap Up". TorontoFC.ca. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  15. ^ "AEGON Future Cup: Uitslag van Poulefase". Ajax1.nl. 31 March 2013. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  16. ^ "Anderlecht defeat Ajax to clinch Aegon Future Cup". Goal.com. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  17. ^ "Young Reds through to final". manutd.com. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  18. ^ "AEGON Future Cup mooi meetmoment". Ajax.nl. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  19. ^ "Uitslagen AEGON Future Cup". AEGON - Hoofdsponsor van Ajax. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  20. ^ "Klaassen uitgeroepen tot beste speler". Ajax.nl. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  21. ^ "FC Nordsjælland wint Future Cup". Ajax.nl. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
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