08/08/2023 20:46
The Jockey Club Youth Football Academy Summit hosted a joint training session today (8 August) at the Jockey Club HKFA Football Training Centre for the visiting Manchester United Academy U16 team and the Hong Kong, China U18 Representative Team, allowing players to break through boundaries, learn from each other’s training methods and improve together. The Summit, organised by The Hong Kong Jockey Club, is being held from 6 to 13 August.
Today’s training session was conducted by coaches from Manchester United’s youth academy, with the players divided into groups for practice in preparation for their friendly match at Mong Kok Stadium tomorrow night (9 August). As a major event of the “Happy Hong Kong” campaign, launched by the HKSAR Government, the match will feature a variety of entertainment with game booths and performances for the public to enjoy.
Manchester United legend Diego Forlán also attended the training session to show his support and observe the youngsters’ progress. In the afternoon, he joined the Manchester United Academy U16 squad and local players for dragon boating to experience traditional Chinese customs. As well as learning more about Chinese culture, dragon boating also helped the youngsters to strengthen teamwork and communication skills, which will greatly help their performance in the upcoming matches.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club has long been committed to local football development, and through football it aims to impact society in a positive way. Launched in 2017, the Jockey Club Youth Football Academy Summit is a collaboration between the Club, Manchester United and the Football Association of Hong Kong, China to encourage youth development, combining cultural exchange, creative inspiration and athletic training. It exposes participants to new people and ideas, widening their horizons. Through this experience, young people gain skills and inspiration as they “Play Together, Learn Together and Train Together”.