"Spark Cup Domestic Group": The regional teams step forward, and the strong follow! When friends arrive, you can also "hold a shotgun"

Reporter Lu Mi reports from Guiyang The second Guizhou "Spark Cup" International Youth Football Invitational Tournament, also part of the China-ASEAN Education Exchange Week International Youth Football Invitational, kicked off on August 17. This event gathered multiple top domestic U14 youth teams in Guiyang, such as Evergrande Football School, the CFA Regional Youth Training Center (Chengdu) U14 selection team, and squads from Chongqing, Guiyang, Bijie, and Chengdu. These teams, relying on mature youth training systems, have deepened their echelon construction. Some have repeatedly won major tournament honors and produced many talents, while others use competitions for training, hoping to test new players in high-intensity domestic and international matches. We often say that when friends come, we offer good wine. But in such intense domestic-versus-foreign confrontations, the best learning might be a fierce battle, as if holding a shotgun.

Guizhou Football Association U14 Selection Team

The Guizhou Football Association U14 Selection Team is the host of this tournament. The team assembled for training 10 days early, with players selected from five football clubs in Guiyang. The squad primarily consists of players born in 2012, along with four outstanding young talents born in 2011. This is currently the best lineup for this age group in Guizhou in terms of overall strength. The team initially had 30 players in training, but after a high-intensity training camp and assessment, 20 players with superior strength, stamina, and competitive form were selected to compete in the event.

Zou Xiang, a relevant official from the Provincial Football Association, said, "This lineup gathers the key elite players of this age group in Guizhou. The starting 11 are all key training targets for the provincial team, with solid fundamental skills and a strong fighting spirit." However, only a few of these players have experience competing in South Korea; most have never participated in international competitions.

Although the training period was short, the team's attitude was positive and serious, and the training intensity was maximized. Zou Xiang emphasized, "In fact, the team has no rigid performance targets for this tournament. The core goal is to train through competition, accumulate international experience, and cultivate a strong team ethos." As the host team, they will also give their all in every match, striving for ideal results and showcasing the style of Guizhou's youth football.

Additionally, Zou Xiang revealed that Guizhou's youth training is steadily advancing echelon construction. The Provincial Sports Bureau and the Provincial Football Association are gradually building U13, U15, and age 9-10 echelons to improve the youth training talent system and continuously strengthen the foundation of local football development.

Bijie City Football Youth Training Center U14

The Bijie City Football Youth Training Center U14 team is stepping onto the "Spark Cup" field for the second time. This echelon from Liangcai Middle School is fully prepared, relying on solid daily training accumulation, and is striving to advance from the group stage.

According to team leader Wang Litong, the team is built upon the Bijie Xinli Liang Youth Football Club, with all players studying at Bijie Liangcai Middle School. It is a key school-based echelon under the Bijie Municipal Sports Bureau, fully integrated into the Bijie Youth Training Center system. The team adopts a model combining education and training, balancing academic studies with football practice.

Several players on this team have previously participated in the first "Spark Cup" International Invitational, gaining valuable international experience. "Our team was unfortunately eliminated in the group stage last time. This time, we have regrouped and are going again, with the core goal of striving to advance from the group. Of course, we also aim to ensure every participating player gets ample training," said head coach Cui Zhigang. In terms of overall strength, the team is at the top level among peers in Bijie and ranks stably in the mid-to-upper tier within Guizhou Province. "Our players may not have an advantage in physical size, but they have solid fundamentals and quick footwork. They are good at compensating for physical shortcomings through delicate coordination, giving the team a relatively unique playing style."

It is worth mentioning that core player Zhang Yubo has performed impressively, having been selected multiple times for CFA training camps.

CFA Regional Youth Training Center (Chengdu) U14 Selection Team

The CFA Regional Youth Training Center (Chengdu) U14 selection team is formed based on the national five-level youth training system. It is a key achievement in regional elite youth football talent development, aiming to train reserve talents and broaden youth training horizons through high-level international competitions.

To implement the spirit of the National Football Work Conference and youth training guidance, and to improve the national, regional, provincial, municipal, and county five-level echelon construction, the CFA conducted the 2026 seventh intensive training camp for male youth players born in 2012 at the Chengdu Regional Youth Training Center from August 10 to 16. From this camp, the best players were selected to form the regional selection team to compete in the "Spark Cup." The trainees were all chosen from member association youth training centers in various cities and provinces in Southwest China, gathering high-quality reserve talents of the same age group, making this the core echelon of Southwest youth talent reserves.

This combination of training camp and tournament is a key specialized training model for Southwest youth development, promoting a dual-track approach of player growth and coach improvement. The coaching staff is professionally strong, with technical work coordinated by CFA Dalian Regional Director Yoshikazu Yoshiaki, former Chinese national team player Liu Yu as head coach, and a professional technical team composed of excellent echelon coaches from multiple areas in Sichuan and Chongqing.

After a week-long closed training camp and comprehensive assessment, the camp selected the best, ultimately choosing 20 elite young players to form the official competition lineup. The team is committed to educating and improving through competition, fully leveraging the "Spark Cup" international platform to accumulate practical experience, hone game mentality, help Southwest elite youth players break through their limits, and comprehensively showcase the solid achievements of regional youth training construction.

Qingyuan Evergrande Football School U14 Team

As a key elite echelon of Evergrande Football School, the 2012 age group team is firmly among the top tier in the country for the same age group. They consistently adhere to a training model of using competitions for practice and playing against older opponents, regularly participating in U15-level matches to strengthen high-intensity game adaptability. The team has achieved remarkable results: last year, they won the 2025 fourth China Youth Football League U13 group championship; this year, they competed across levels in the 2026 fifth China Youth Football League and won the Guangdong provincial qualifier again. In January this year, the Evergrande Football School 2011 age group team competed in the China-Korea friendly tournament organized by "Football" newspaper and won the championship, showcasing their strong strength.

According to coach Xie Congshu, the team's player selection covers a wide range, with all members recruited nationwide through trials. Daily training relies on the closed training model of Qingyuan Football School, with 7 to 8 specialized training sessions per week, supplemented by internal matches, and frequent cross-level friendlies against U15 teams. The solid training system has yielded excellent talent. This echelon is a major supplier of talent for the CFA elite training camps: from 2024 to 2025, over 10 players were selected for the Shenzhen Regional Elite Training Camp; in the 2026 national elite camp for the 2012 age group, five players including Liu Chen and Liao Enwei were selected and earned the opportunity to visit the UK for exchange, while Du Xin, Liu Zhenxi, and others were also selected for the regional selection team to compete in the Vietnam International Invitational.

Regarding the tournament goals, Xie Congshu was clear: "Our team will be down-to-earth, give full effort, and aim for the championship as the ultimate goal. We will play every match seriously, striving to show the excellent quality of Evergrande youth training on the international stage."

Chongqing Youth Training Center 2012 Team

The Chongqing Youth Training Center 2012 team is heading to Guizhou to compete. This local youth team, rooted in the integration of sports and education, looks forward to showcasing the style of Chongqing's youth football on the international stage.

According to team coach Tan Yang, the team competing in the "Spark Cup" in Guizhou is an echelon jointly built by the Chongqing Football Association Youth Training Center and the Affiliated High School of Southwest University. All players were born in 2012, study at school daily, and train together, making the lineup stable and well-coordinated. "The team has participated in the Chongqing 'Future Cup' international football event, so they have some international competition experience." It is worth noting that the team has a solid talent reserve and considerable strength. However, before this tournament, four players were called up to the 2011 representative team for the China Youth Football League U15 final, and one player was selected for the Southwest regional training camp, which has affected the completeness of the main lineup to some extent.

For the Chongqing Youth Training Center 2012 team, this tournament presents significant challenges. "First, the preparation was very rushed. The team received the invitation only midweek, and after our holiday break, we only had 10 days of training preparation," Tan Yang revealed. The team has now completed pre-match preparations both physically and mentally. Despite knowing little about the overseas opponents in this tournament, the team will rely on themselves, give their all, and strive for the best results.

Chengdu Huaxi Middle School U14 Echelon

This "Spark Cup" marks the first appearance of the Chengdu Huaxi Middle School U14 echelon in a domestic-international exchange competition.

According to team leader Zhang Yang, the team is based on players born in 2012, with a wide range of selection. Core players come from traditional football primary schools in Chengdu and local football clubs, while outstanding players from other regions are also recruited through online applications and trial assessments. "The team regularly uses competitions for training and plays against older opponents, steadily improving their performance and earning multiple provincial and regional honors." Last year, the team competed in the China Youth Football League U13 group, winning the Sichuan regional third place and advancing to the South Second District finals. This year, they again competed across levels, achieving third place in the China Youth Football League U15 Sichuan regional, fully demonstrating their solid competitive foundation and good growth potential.

For this "Spark Cup" expedition, the team faced some lineup changes, with five main players absent due to being called up to regional teams or representing Chengdu in football exchanges in Brazil. Under these circumstances, the team adjusted its competition approach, treating this event as an excellent training platform for young players. Zhang Yang said, "This tournament is a friendly invitational. We have no rigid performance targets or competitive pressure. The team does not need to pursue results deliberately; the focus is on cultivating new players and refining the lineup."