Filipino kids at the FC Barcelona camp. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Ten young football players from the Philippines have brought home invaluable experience from their recent trip to Spain for the Milo FC Barcelona Camp.
The selected young athletes from all over the country completed a prestigious football program in a global camp held at the FCB Youth Academy from November 4 to 12.
They underwent training sessions with FC Barcelona Youth Academy’s coaches, both on the pitch at Ciutat Esportiv and in the classroom at Camp Nou together with delegates from Chile, Colombia, Jamaica, Malaysia, Maldives, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela.
Lien Dale D. Manuel (Vicente Lim Elementary School), Alexander David C. Villarosa (University of San Jose-Recoletos), Breindel O. Medina (Ateneo De Davao Junior High School), Heaven Andrei N. Teodosio (Ilaya Barangka Integrated School of Mandaluyong City), Tristan Ybanez (Sacred Heart School Ateneo De Cebu), Juan Pablo S. Unlay (Ateneo De Manila), Dylan Theodore O. Wong (Keys School Manila), Carlo Antonio D. Bongocan (Rosevale School), Jelena Loren I. Soon (Singapore School Cebu), and Daniel Isaac N. Cagaanan (Koronadal Central Elementary School I) made up the Milo team to Barcelona.
Manuel, 11, described the experience as something that was “beyond my wildest dreams” especially that he was able to set foot in the same arena where his idol Lionel Messi plays.
A member of the Tondo Futkaleros before being recruited to play for the Ceres Negros Youth FC, Manuel said he is excited to share his learnings from the camp with his teammates.
The young kids also got an experience of a lifetime training with former Brazil and Barça legend Juliano Belletti and watching a live La Liga match pitting FC Barcelona and Betis. Celest Flores-Colina