Madrid is celebrating the fourth edition of the MadCup, the international soccer tournament that this year is reaching record numbers with 814 teams from 34 countries. From June 21 to 26, promising young soccer players will gather at this event, which has become a showcase for emerging talent and a platform for inclusion in the men’s, women’s and mixed categories.
One of the outstanding players of this edition is Hugo Herrero Heredia, 16, who travels from Tarragona to compete in this prestigious tournament in the capital. Hugo, who normally plays at the Floresta club, competes in the Madcup with Academia AYB Sports. He shares his impressions and aspirations in an exclusive interview for Sportsin.biz during the tournament after a victory against German team SV Wehen Wiesbaden.
“It’s going very well, especially we are impressed by the Madcup fields, which are impressive. The matches are at a high level and we are really enjoying the competition,” says Hugo, who is participating in the MadCup for the first time. “It’s an amazing experience, the organizers really make us feel like professionals.”
“It’s going very well, especially we are impressed by the Madcup fields, which are impressive.”
Hugo also talks about his life off the field. “I’ve just finished my fourth year of ESO. We’ve finished the course and now it’s time to enjoy ourselves. We’ve come here to play soccer, which is what we like,” he says with a smile. When asked about his nearest goals, he doesn’t hesitate: “Right now, my main objective is to win the tournament. We have a very good team and I see us having a chance.
But his ambitions do not stop on the field of play. Hugo is aware of the importance of education and has clear plans for his academic and sporting future. “Outside of soccer, I want to continue studying. And in terms of studies, to continue learning and, hopefully, to be able to earn something from soccer and be able to make a living from it, it would be a dream. I’m aware that it’s complicated, but I’ll keep fighting for it,” he says with determination.
The MadCup 2023 is not only breaking participation records, but is also becoming a meeting point for young talents from all over the world, offering them a unique opportunity to demonstrate their skills and share experiences with other players from diverse backgrounds. With the presence of international teams from the likes of Olympique Lyon, Rayados de Monterrey, Sporting Portugal and Juventus, the tournament promises to be an exciting battleground for future soccer stars.
For Hugo and many others like him, the MadCup is more than a tournament; it is a gateway to the future, a chance to realize their dreams in the world of professional soccer.
