Vincent Kompany. Ferran Torres. Lucas Digne. The greatest names in football once played on these pitches. For 27 years, the U17 International Tournament has been the stage where tomorrow's stars are discovered.
Nearly thirty years of football, played at the highest level of youth competition. Since the first edition in 1997, the tournament has welcomed clubs from across the globe, produced unforgettable moments, and helped launch the careers of players who would go on to reach the very top of the game. The winners list is long.
France
Spain
France
Denmark
Netherlands
Belgium
Spain
Spain
England
Spain
Portugal
Spain
Netherlands
Denmark
France
Spain
France
Denmark
Serbia
Portugal
Belgium
Belgium
France
France
Portugal
Spain
France
In 1997, Antonio Gallégo, Patrick Humez and the steering committee of USSA Football took on a real challenge: bringing the biggest European clubs to the pitches of Saint-André-lez-Lille for an International Tournament over the Pentecost weekend.
The municipality of Saint-André, led by Paul Lauerière and Jean-Pierre Houzet, Mayor and Deputy for Sports, validated the project and helped put the club on the map across Europe and the world.us the honour of coming to compete every year.
By 1999, the growing scale of the event called for a dedicated structure. The Organising Committee took over from the club to manage the tournament administratively and financially, ensuring its long-term future as an independent institution.
From 5 to 6 professional clubs in the early years, the tournament grew to 11 professional clubs from 2000 onwards, with US Saint-André always present as the 12th. Today, nearly a hundred volunteers dedicate ten months of work every year to welcome the Champions of Tomorrow, with a budget that has grown to €100,000.
Recognised everywhere in France, Europe and beyond, this tournament exists thanks to its volunteers, its spectators, its institutional and private partners, and above all, the clubs who do us the honour of coming to compete every year. What a beautiful journey it has been, and the best is still to come.
Sportingly, The President
Damien Houzet
