The Sub-15 category makes its debut in the tournament with Vilassar de Mar as its host venue, confirming the competitive growth of the International Carnaval Cup.
The International Carnaval Cup took a significant step forward in its competitive structure with the introduction, for the first time in its history, of the Sub-15 category, further consolidating its position as one of the most demanding grassroots football tournaments on the calendar. The competition was held across Premià de Dalt, Cabrils and Vilassar de Mar, with the Municipal Xavi Ramon in Vilassar serving as the exclusive venue for the Sub-15 tournament, which featured three intense days of high-level youth football.
The grand final saw Valencia CF face Girona FC in a tactical, physical and highly competitive clash that ended with a 2-0 victory for the Valencian side. The match was shaped early in the first half with the opening goal, an own goal by Aleix León de Santos, which forced Girona to take risks from the very beginning. Despite the early setback, the Girona side showed strong competitive character and never stopped believing in the game.
With the score still tight, Girona managed to find the net in a move that was later ruled out for offside, in one of the key moments of the final. In the second half, the Catalan team stepped up, pushing forward and generating phases of territorial dominance. However, Valencia competed with maturity, maintained the physical intensity of the match and punished on the counterattack. In that context came the decisive 2-0 goal, scored by Alejandro Angulo, sealing the final when Girona were most exposed in attack.
The road to the final also featured high-level knockout rounds. Girona FC reached the final after eliminating RCD Espanyol in the semifinals, highlighted by Ilim Bakir’s stunning free-kick goal and the added difficulty of having little recovery time before the final. Meanwhile, Valencia CF defeated Real Sociedad after a very strong start with two early goals, neutralising the individual talent of the Basque side, especially down the left flank.
The standout names of the Sub-15
Individually, the tournament was defined by emerging talent. Mateo Berbis (Valencia CF) was named Best Goalkeeper thanks to his consistency and reliability throughout the competition, while Yulian Mosquera (Valencia CF) earned the award for Best Defender, standing out for his solidity, game reading and leadership at the back. In midfield, Nil Lorente (RCD Espanyol) was awarded Best Midfielder for his organisation and influence on the game.
In attack, Ilim Bakir (Girona FC) was named Best Forward after an outstanding tournament, while the Top Scorer award went to Oleksander Volohdin (RCD Espanyol) with five goals. The tournament MVP was Egoi López (Real Sociedad), one of the most influential players of the competition due to his constant impact in the attacking phase.
Among the champions’ key figures were Alejandro Angulo (scorer of the second goal in the final), Mateo Berbis and Yulian Mosquera, in a Valencia CF side coached by Raymond Henric-coll Andrada that stood out for its physical strength, competitiveness and maturity in decisive moments. For Girona FC, led by Met Borotau, Ilim Bakir, Gerard Cano, Guiu Cortés, Frank Maurad and Ayman El Makaoui were among the standout performers, forming one of the most complete and competitive teams of the tournament.
This first Sub-15 edition also featured surprising teams and high-level performances, especially from RCD Espanyol, with Nil Lorente and Volohdin as key references, and Real Sociedad, who impressed with their attacking talent led by Egoi López and Unai Mayoz.
Beyond the final result, this historic first Sub-15 edition in Vilassar de Mar reinforces the evolution of the International Carnaval Cup as a structured, demanding and increasingly attractive tournament for top academy clubs, with three venues that consolidate its organisational scale and impact on grassroots football.
