Friendship Cup brought together more than 250 teams form Latin America

In the framework of the SOMOS Initiative created by CAF, Development Bank of Latin America, 252 teams coming from Lima, the provinces, and seven countries of South America participated in the XXXIII Friendship Cup, a soccer tournament for minors that was held until January 31st in different sporting scenarios of Lima, organized by the Academia Deportiva Cantolao (Cantalao Sports Academy) and the Municipality of Chorrillos.

Through the SOMOS Initiative: Sports network for the development of Latin America, CAF supports sports activities in its member countries, such as the Friendship Cup, to contribute to improve the quality of life of children and adolescents at risk, through sports as a tool for social inclusion, and as an opportunity for young children, especially from the lower income groups, to become agents of their own change. 

Jairo Tiusaba, Chief Executive of the Productive and Financial Development Direction, awarded the cup and medals to the Academia San Antonio de Piura and Cantolao Surco teams, which were the champions and runner-ups, respectively, in the 2004 Category, as well as to the Club Alto Voltaje de Loreto and Cantolao Callao "A" in the 2005 Category. In addition, recognitions were given to the Academia Cherry and Cantolao MIRR who obtained first and second place in the 2007 category, as well as the Milán Crack del Callao and Cantolao Monterrico in the 2008 Category. 

Among the foreign teams that stood up are Club Patria Monaguillos (Colombia), who won a gold medal in the 2000 Category, Defensor Sporting (Uruguay), who won silver medal in the 2002 Category, and River Plate (Argentina), ORPRODEP (Colombia), and Academia Saavedra (Bolivia).

The provinces were also very well represented through the Academia San Antonio (Piura), the Club Alto Voltaje (Loreto), the Academia Universidad San Pedro (Áncash), Academia Deportiva Sao Paulo (Ucayali), Deporcentro Huancayo (Junín), and Cantolao (Peru), among others.

The CAF Friendship Cup is one of the most important soccer tournaments in its category in Latin America, considered in the international calendar of Soccer Tournaments for Minors, with the approval of the FIFA Regulations and the Peruvian Soccer Federation. 

In previous editions of this championship, renowned world players have participated, such as Lionel Messi and Javier Zanetti, from Argentina, Uruguayan Álvaro Recoba, and Bolivian Marco Echeverry, in addition to national players such as Jefferson Farfán (Al-Jazira), Claudio Pizarro (Werder Bremen), Paolo Guerrero (Flamengo), and Carlos Zambrano (Eintracht Frankfurt).

Transforming sports into an excuse to develop values and individual skills for children and adolescents in Latin America has become the main tool used by SOMOS to get close to academies such as Academia Deportiva Cantolao and other sports centers, to try to support them through a working methodology that helps participants from a comprehenisve view of development.