Christmas and New Year youth football tournament of the Russian – African Club of Moscow State University

On December 23, the Christmas and New Year youth football tournament, organized by the Russian-African Club of Moscow State University, was held in Moscow. The tournament saw participation from nine teams: four from higher educational institutions—Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, Higher School of Economics, MISiS University of Science and Technology, and Moscow Polytechnic University—as well as teams representing five countries: the Central African Republic, Cameroon, Ghana, Zambia, and Chad.

Players from the Central African Republic, Cameroon, Ghana, Zambia, Chad, Burkina Faso, Russia, and other African countries were included in the teams. The event attracted more than 150 fans from Moscow’s higher educational institutions and public organizations. Additionally, representatives from the embassies of Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, and the Central African Republic attended, along with leaders of the African diaspora in Russia and stars of Russian and African football.

The tournament’s final saw the student team of Ghana competing against the student team of Cameroon. The match ended in a draw (3:3) at the end of regular time, with the Cameroon team eventually triumphing in the penalty shootout, thereby clinching the title of the youth tournament. The team from the Russian Peoples’ Friendship University secured third place, defeating a team from Moscow Polytechnic University with a score of 3:1.

Louis Gouend, the chairman of the commission for work with African diasporas of the Russian-African Club at Moscow State University and President of the Cameroonian diaspora, inaugurated the tournament. The opening ceremony also featured a speech by the renowned Soviet and Russian football coach, Valery Kuzmich Nepomnyashchy. He is notably remembered for leading the Cameroon team during the 1990 World Cup in Italy, where an African team reached the quarter-finals for the first time. Valery Kuzmich acknowledged the immense potential of African football and expressed his belief that African teams will eventually become world champions. He commended the players and emphasized his admiration for the type of football displayed at the tournament, played out of love for the game rather than for awards.

Diana Pamen-Tchato, a player from the national women’s team of Russia and the Dynamo Sports Club (Moscow), also addressed the participants. Diana, embodying the unity of Russia and Africa through her African father and Russian mother, encouraged the players to have a good and interesting game.

The tournament was marked by a vibrant and spirited atmosphere, with performances by Russian and African musicians and enthusiastic support from the audience. The players demonstrated remarkable skill and dedication. All participants were awarded memorable prizes and accolades. The event concluded with a Christmas dinner featuring a blend of African and European dishes, accompanied by African music.

The tournament’s primary achievement was the creation of an atmosphere emblematic of a true sports festival, embodying friendship and solidarity among the Russian and African students of Moscow’s higher educational institutions. Overall, this event served as a testament to the strong and amicable relations between Russia and Africa.