"Spark Cup International Group": Hit the Ground Running! The Showdown, They Take It Seriously

Hanbing reports from Guiyang At nearly 2 a.m. on August 16, the Bishkek Snow Leopards from Kyrgyzstan finally arrived at their hotel. Just six hours later, the entire team, still adjusting to the time difference, had breakfast together. They then packed their bags and headed to the Qingzhen Training Center to carry out their morning pitch familiarization session as scheduled. Although the Tashkent Creators from Uzbekistan arrived earlier, they also faced adaptation issues. However, their pitch training on Sunday was no less intense. Tashkent Creators' head coach Nishanbaev believed that the "sub-plateau" environment in Guizhou had almost no impact on the players, and that the young players came to compete to adapt to various conditions. Chokchai, the head coach of Pattaya United, who had previously participated in tournaments in China, said that all foreign teams felt the warmth of the Guizhou people and the pleasant cool weather. He added that actively preparing and competing seriously was the best way to show respect for the "Spark Cup" after traveling thousands of miles to participate.

On the bus heading to the training center last Sunday morning, Bishkek Snow Leopards' No. 12 Bilanov could hardly contain his excitement, constantly asking questions about the tournament. This was the first visit to China for this Kyrgyzstan "quasi-national selection team." Wearing a Kyrgyz "Kalpak" white felt hat, Bilanov showed no signs of fatigue after more than 10 hours of flight and the brief rest before pitch training. Head coach Maratov revealed that the children were both very happy and a bit nervous, and they were very interested in everything about Guizhou.

The Bishkek Snow Leopards' seriousness about this tournament was evident from the moment they entered the country. From filming the pre-match promotional video in Bishkek to arriving at Longdongbao Airport, and then getting off the bus for pitch training last Sunday morning, all players wore the white felt "Kalpak" hats symbolizing Kyrgyzstan. The Bishkek Snow Leopards brought a striking exotic atmosphere to the Qingzhen Training Center. Head coach Maratov stated that this was to make the children realize that when they go abroad, they represent Kyrgyzstan: every future match will be fought with all their might, for themselves and for Kyrgyzstan.

This is the first time the Bishkek Snow Leopards have played in China. For this Kyrgyzstan "youth national selection team," it is a valuable international competition experience. The Bishkek Snow Leopards' age-group teams are top-tier in the country, often winning national medals or championships, and many players have been selected for the national youth teams. Head coach Maratov believes that participating in more international matches is especially important for young footballers, as they can see different football styles, gain new experiences, and develop character, discipline, and team thinking. Moreover, taking part in the "Spark Cup" is not just about competing in a tournament; it is an opportunity to learn about another country, culture, and football system.

Although Bilanov humbly stated that he had no performance expectations for this trip to Guizhou, he expressed his true hope: that his teammates could win individual awards such as the tournament MVP. He also revealed that the team would be interviewed by television, which was a chance for the children to fully showcase themselves so that their families thousands of miles away could see them. Head coach Maratov also believes that the trip focuses more on players' personal growth, gaining international experience, and building good connections with Chinese teams.

Among the teams participating in the second "Spark Cup," the Uzbek giant Tashkent Creators is the most famous. Although the club was only founded in 2009, its strong financial resources quickly led to consecutive league titles, breaking the monopoly of Pakhtakor Tashkent. Despite later facing a crisis of investment withdrawal, years of deep investment in youth development have kept the club among the top in Uzbekistan's various age-group leagues.

With the rise of the Akhmedov Academy and the National Youth Training Center, the youth development resources of Tashkent Creators face severe challenges. However, thanks to the solid foundation of youth training hardware and software established earlier, the team's youth results remain strong. Head coach Nishanbaev revealed that this Tashkent Creators' youth team, which came to China, won the Uzbekistan national championship last year, won an international tournament in Georgia, and finished third in an international tournament in Russia.

This is the first time Tashkent Creators have come to China. The team's philosophy is to give their all in any competition. Especially the experience of international matches is the most valuable gain. The Tashkent Creators were the first foreign team to start training on the pitch familiarization day, and their training content was very comprehensive. From physical training to small-group coordination and half-field attack-defense drills, everything was carried out according to the normal rhythm of competition preparation. At that time, the team had not yet fully recovered from the 10-hour journey and jet lag.

Head coach Nishanbaev said that the grass at the Qingzhen Training Center is very good and very suitable for the children to play. Although the physical reaction after training in the "sub-plateau" was strong, the good pitch quality ensured training quality, preventing the "sub-plateau" effect from causing any issues. He believes that the competition environment is fair for all foreign teams and is the best training for the children in international matches.

Among the foreign teams that arrived early in Guiyang, Pattaya United is the only one with previous experience playing in China. Head coach Chokchai introduced that three years ago, Pattaya United participated in an international tournament in Guangzhou, and later played in an U16 competition in Nanning. Pattaya United chose to continue coming to China to compete this time, aiming to help young players improve their competitive level and accumulate international experience. In their view, engaging in international youth football exchanges in China has many benefits.

Pattaya United's youth teams are relatively strong. Besides participating in Thailand's national youth league, they have also traveled to Gothenburg, Sweden, for international competitions, reaching the quarterfinals. Pattaya United also took part in pitch training on Sunday morning, with a relatively relaxed mindset. Head coach Chokchai said that the cool weather in Guiyang and the lawn conditions at Qingzhen Training Center made the players very relaxed. The pleasant environment was more conducive to the team's performance.

Pattaya United players are tall, giving them an advantage over the two Central Asian teams, making them one of the foreign teams expected to achieve good results. In response, head coach Chokchai said that the team had previously played against Chinese youth teams and was impressed by the development of Chinese youth football. Moreover, this "Spark Cup" has a relatively special competition environment—at an altitude of 1,200 meters in the "sub-plateau," which helps train players' physical fitness and endurance. In his view, this is a very ideal "summer training" venue.

This "Spark Cup" also features two teams from South Korea: HSFA and Hwaseong U14. At the beginning of this year, during the China-South Korea Youth Football Elite Challenge in Dingnan, Hwaseong was one of the participating teams and was deeply impressed by the progress of Chinese youth football and the hardware facilities. At that time, Hwaseong stated that they would frequently come to China to compete, using the excellent facilities to better train the team and accumulate international experience.

At the same time, the second "Spark Cup," as a sports exchange activity of the China-ASEAN Education Exchange Week, specially invited two ASEAN teams to participate. Vietnam's Van Xuan Football Center is also making its first visit to China for a competition and has endured a long and arduous journey to participate. They first took a bus across the border, then transferred to a high-speed train via Kunming, planning to arrive in Guiyang late on the night of the 16th and start their first match on the 17th. Despite this, team leader Hoang Manh Hai still believes this trip is significant: he not only hopes to improve the players' level through competition but also to learn and understand Chinese youth football's experience in talent development and training systems.

Van Xuan Football Center won the "Lotte Challenge Cup" Vietnam national championship two years ago and has been representing Hanoi in various age-group national leagues in recent years. It remains to be seen whether Van Xuan can achieve good results in China like Pattaya United. However, for this trip to Guizhou, the club values the exchange between Chinese and Vietnamese youth football more. In their view, these experiences will become a very memorable and meaningful part of the growth of Van Xuan's children.

It is worth mentioning that all foreign teams that came to China have been full of praise for the warmth of Guizhou. Bishkek Snow Leopards head coach Maratov said that the first things that impressed him were the natural scenery—mountains, greenery, and fresh air. The team's coaches and players also liked the people here: "We felt hospitality and friendliness." Tashkent Creators head coach Nishanbaev also said that his first impression of Guizhou was very strong. On the day of arrival, they were warmly welcomed with a dinner, and the players were very satisfied with the quality of the grass at the training center.

Although Pattaya United has visited China multiple times, they were still "amazed" by Guizhou's cool weather and high-quality youth training center. From the moment they left the terminal, they felt a warmth completely different from the Guiyang weather. The entire process of entering the competition area was very smooth, and Guizhou left a very beautiful impression on them.

For the foreign teams participating in the second "Spark Cup," they all gave the same answer to the same question: "Would you come to Guizhou again to compete?" The answer was an unequivocal yes. Although the competition had not yet started, it was mainly because their first impressions of China and Guizhou were simply too good.

The two Central Asian teams clearly expressed their intention to regularly visit China for matches and football exchange activities. The two South Korean teams have already confirmed that their winter training and winter competitions early next year will be held in China. The two ASEAN teams, with their geographical advantage, are also full of anticipation for coming to China to compete.