The youth team of Club Brugge has secured a place in the final of the Youth League, the U19 Champions League, marking a first for a Belgian football club.
After Arsenal, FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Atlético Madrid, the Bruges side added another major European name to their list of scalps in this Youth League, the European football competition bringing together national champions under the age of 19.
The players coached by Jonas De Roeck defeated Benfica 3–1 at the Stade de la Tuilière in Lausanne, thereby earning a spot in the final against Real Madrid, who had eliminated Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals.
No Belgian club had ever progressed this far in this prestigious competition. Anderlecht had reached the semi-finals twice before (in 2015 and 2016), but no Belgian team had ever contested the final.
Against Real Madrid, the young Belgians came close to pulling off a remarkable feat by winning the Youth League. At the end of regular time, the scoreboard displayed a 1–1 draw. The title was therefore decided in a penalty shoot-out, as the Youth League regulations do not provide for extra time.
Nevertheless, it remains a magnificent achievement for a Belgian team, highlighting the excellent work being done in player development in Belgium.
