A girls' team from Brighton College Abu Dhabi has won the World School Games Football Cup 2024 in the under-15s category. During the two-day tournament, which took place from October 11-13, the winning team played against schools from Spain, Tanzania, Portugal, Tunisia, Egypt and Uzbekistan, and were declared the overall winners.
In total, 33 schools representing 18 different countries participated in the tournament in Barcelona. Eva Hill, the team's 14-year-old captain, said they had to play nine games in two days and beat a team from Tanzania 5-3 in the final game.
"We were so excited for the cup, and we weren't fully expecting to win, but it was just a great opportunity and an unforgettable experience," Ms Hill, who is from the UK, told The National. "It was just a fantastic experience and I'm very proud of my team.
"We worked very hard together, and we had early-morning training and practised in matches against other UAE schools. I would wake up at 5.45am to be at school at 6.30am for football practice."
Competing on the global stage
Ms Hill said meeting and competing against teams from across the world was exciting.
“Before every game, the coach would give us an absolutely amazing pep talk, and then I would have the chance to speak as captain to give some final details to help the team and encourage them," she said. “We have very close bonds within the team and the support from the other teams from Brighton College Abu Dhabi also helped us."
Molly Forsythe, goalkeeper for the team and a pupil at the school, said: "It was a great experience playing against schools from different countries, and our hard work paid off. Lifting the trophy was unforgettable and it was an honour to represent Brighton College and the UAE."
A winning mentality
Teachers at the school put the success down to the group's dedication, skill and hard work. “I'm very proud, very elated and happy for the team," said Ruth Forsythe, vice-principal at Brighton College Abu Dhabi. "It truly reflects their dedication and skill, their determination, their sportsmanship.
"They worked really hard as a team. In their group there were eight teams and they got through to the final undefeated in the competition. They won every game and brought the cup home."
She said many of the pupils had been playing sport together for the last five to six years and had grown together. She also paid tribute to the team's coach, Emma Sims, and said pupils at the school typically arrived at 6.30am for training, and that there were around 50-60 pupils who attended sessions for multiple sports.
Richard Austin, director of sport at the school, said the opportunity to travel to Barcelona and compete at a global level offered the pupils "a different sort of level of competition, rather than just competing within the Middle East and against the schools in Abu Dhabi".
"They were superb throughout the weekend and they were undefeated in the tournament," he said.
