Međimurje Shines in Rijeka: Le Banditi Take Bronze, Farma Silver
At the National Finals of the 30th Season of the Plazma Youth Sports Games, teams from Prelog and Čakovec won medals in the Coca-Cola Cup and the women's football tournament.
At the National Finals of the 30th Season of the Plazma Youth Sports Games, teams from Prelog and Čakovec won medals in the Coca-Cola Cup and the women's football tournament.
At the conclusion of the National Finals of the 30th season of the Plazma Youth Sports Games in Rijeka, the futsal spectacle secured two medals for Međimurje County. The team Le Banditi from Prelog won bronze in the Coca-Cola Cup, while the women's team Farma from Čakovec took silver in the final.
This summer, Rijeka hosted more than 2,500 finalists, with the highlight being the Coca-Cola Cup, the largest futsal tournament in Europe. Qualifying tournaments began back in January, and by the end of June, 155 had been held with over 50,000 male and female footballers participating.
In the 2008 and younger category, the gold medal went to the team Balki i prijatelji from Karlovac, while Le Banditi from Prelog took third place. Under the leadership of Damir Štampar, the team from Prelog played with players Niko Trupković, Tin Štampar, Viktor Dodlek, David Debelec, Dorian Čavlek, Paulo Nomo Nemi, Ino Gelo, Petar Mlinarec, Ervin Šafarić, and Jakob Sever.
In the younger category of 2011 and younger, the best team was MNK Futsal Pula. The matches were played on the pitches in Zamet, Srdoči, and Kastav, where the young footballers showcased excellent skills, fair play, and team spirit.
For the fifth consecutive year, the Plazma Youth Sports Games, in collaboration with the UEFA Foundation for Children, have organized football tournaments for girls, promoting women's football. The best players of the tournament were from ŽNK Arena Pula, and the team Farma from Čakovec also played in the final.
The Čakovec team won the silver medal with the lineup Ema Volarić, Taša Turk, Iva Đakić, Lana Raimund, Ena Vočanec, and Elena Vurušić, led by team leader Anja Posel.
Future football prospects in Rijeka were supported by Matjaž Kek, football coach, Luka Brkljača, fitness coach, Franko Andrijašević, footballer, and Dunja Štokan, HNS instructor. They presented medals and awards to the young athletes.
At the Tommy tournament in futsal for under-12s, finals were played, and the team Zadarnova claimed the title of new National Champion. At the Wiener osiguranje chess tournament, Alan Katušić and Ema Poljak Ljubić were the best in the under-11 category, while Petra Vidić and Tin Biti won gold in the under-15 category.
In collaboration with the Brave Phone and Wiener osiguranje, an interactive workshop called Mental Hygiene was held, aimed at raising awareness about the importance of caring for the mental health of children and young people. Through discussion and practical activities, participants learned about recognizing and expressing emotions and the importance of seeking support.
The most successful teams and individuals from 10 sports will head to Split next week for the International Finals, which will take place from August 17 to 22. The 30th season brought together more than 138,000 children and young people, making it the largest edition of this biggest amateur sports event in Europe.
