Young Stars Return to Maksimir
The Mladen Ramljak Memorial Tournament brings together eight clubs from Thursday to Sunday, with Hajduk returning to Zagreb after 13 years.
The Mladen Ramljak Memorial Tournament brings together eight clubs from Thursday to Sunday, with Hajduk returning to Zagreb after 13 years.
The Mladen Ramljak Memorial Youth Tournament, held for the 23rd time at Zagreb's Maksimir stadium, will once again host future football stars from Thursday to Sunday. On the "Luka Modrić" and "Zlatko Cici Kranjčar" pitches, eight clubs will compete for the prestigious title, with all eyes on Dinamo as they chase a third consecutive trophy and Hajduk's return after a full 13-year absence.
Throughout its rich history, the tournament has produced numerous world football greats. The most recent example is Crysencio Summerville, a former Feyenoord player, who, after appearing at the "Ramljak" tournament, scored for the Netherlands at the World Cup this summer, and later commanded a transfer fee of €65 million. Before him, the Maksimir pitches also showcased talents like Luka Modrić, Mateo Kovačić, Arda Güler, Theo Hernández, and Martin Baturina, which speaks volumes about the tournament's reputation, having hosted 83 clubs from 35 countries across five continents, including 13 continental champions and nine European Cup winners.
A new chapter in the coaching career of Milan Badelj, the 37-year-old silver medalist from the 2018 World Cup, begins. After ending his playing career last summer, the former national team player has taken charge of Dinamo's youth team, and the "Ramljak" tournament will be his first major challenge. His predecessors, Ivica Banović and Jerko Leko, led the "mini-modri" to two consecutive titles by defeating Manchester United and Bologna in the finals, and now it's Badelj's turn to attempt a hat-trick.
Dinamo will open the tournament on Thursday at 7:15 PM against Juventus, who will be visiting Maksimir for the third consecutive year. The following day, Friday at the same time, they will face Club Brugge, and they will conclude the group stage on Saturday at 5:30 PM against Benfica, who are making their fourth appearance at the tournament. The final is scheduled for Sunday at 6:30 PM.
This year's edition is given special charm by the return of Hajduk, whose youth team last appeared at the tournament in 2013. Back then, they were convincingly defeated by Dinamo 7-2 in the final, with Igor Cvitanović and Robert Jarni leading the clubs. Dinamo's ranks included Fran Brodić, Ivan Šunjić, Robert Murić, and Petar Bočkaj, while Mario Pašalić shone for Hajduk. Now, the "bijeli" will be led from the bench by new coach Frane Lojić, who succeeded Goran Milović in that position.
Hajduk will first face Bologna in the group stage on Thursday at 10:45 AM, followed by Ajax on Friday at the same time, who will be making their debut at the "Ramljak" tournament, and Saturday's schedule at 10:45 AM brings a clash with Athletic Bilbao. Although the full squad list is not yet known, players like Pandurić, D. Plaminskyi, Krešić, Šimović, Ćukušić, Alujević, Leban, Matko, Maslać, Šatalić, Kujundžić, Hajder, R. Plaminskyi, Ruščić, Živković, Gudelj, Pehar, Katuša, Paštar, Slavka, and Perajica have featured in Lojić's team's preparatory matches.
In addition to Ajax, the four-time European champions, and Juventus, the tournament has also been marked by big-name coaches throughout history. Feyenoord, whose colors Mladen Ramljak himself defended, won tournaments under the guidance of Dirk Kuyt and Robin van Persie. Besides Dinamo and Hajduk, other Croatian representatives have included Osijek (last in 2009), Rijeka (2017), Zagreb (2007), and Split (2016), and the Croatian U-19 national team also once participated.
On the first day of the tournament, players and spectators will face a major challenge, as temperatures are forecast to reach 37 degrees Celsius on Thursday, though meteorologists predict a slight easing of the heat from Friday onward. The tournament will traditionally be a magnet for numerous scouts from all over the world, who will closely watch every move of the young prospects from the sidelines of the "Modrić" and "Cico" pitches. All matches will be open to the public and broadcast live on the "Dinamo +" platform.
