The Conmebol-UEFA U-17 Men's Tournament officially kicked off yesterday, an international friendly competition that seeks to offer young talents a unique opportunity to measure themselves in a high-level competitive scenario, where they not only grow as soccer players, but also as people.

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This tournament, which will be played from June 24 to 28 at the National High Performance Center (CNAR) in Porlamar, Nueva Esparta state, has only four teams participating: Venezuela, Paraguay and Chile on behalf of CONMEBOL, and Turkey as the UEFA representative. Although the number of teams is small, the level of demand is high, and for Venezuela it represents a valuable opportunity to prepare for the FIFA U-17 World Cup to be held in Qatar in November this year.

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As a lover of youth soccer, I could not let this tournament pass without sitting down to watch the debut of our boys, especially against a team as tough as Paraguay. The opening match was, as expected, quite physical. During the first minutes, the tension typical of the start of the tournament was noticeable: several interruptions due to fouls, intense duels in the middle of the field and some frictions that were well handled by the main referee, who knew how to keep control of the match with criteria.

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La Vinotinto started at a disadvantage after a mistake at the start that was effectively exploited by the Albirroja, but what stood out was the reaction of the Venezuelan team: without falling into disorder or desperation, the team led by Oswaldo Vizcarrondo bet on maintaining their game identity. Something that has caught my attention is precisely Vizcarrondo's commitment to a clean start from the back, prioritizing associative play, precise passing and ball possession. This playing philosophy has given the team not only a greater tactical structure, but also mental strength.

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Thanks to that approach, Venezuela managed to come back quickly and went into halftime leading 2-1. In the second half, the intensity did not let up. Both teams played with a determination worthy of a World Cup qualifier, which raised the level of the spectacle. Paraguay managed to tie the match, but it was Diego Claut who, in the 71st minute, scored the winning goal to seal Venezuela's 3-2 victory. The other Vinotinto scorers were Juan Camilo Uribe and Wiliander Muñoz, who showed good definition and mettle at key moments of the match.

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The Vinotinto U-17 team's next game will be against Chile, and it will close the tournament against Turkey on June 28. Although it is presented as a "tournament", this initiative goes far beyond the sporting aspect. The event includes recreational and educational activities, designed to strengthen cultural ties among participants and offer young people a comprehensive training experience.

These types of joint initiatives between the Venezuelan Football Federation, Conmebol and UEFA are to be applauded. Not only do they allow our future stars to get international exposure, but they also promote values, coexistence and personal growth. And you, did you know about this tournament and what do you think of this proposal? I would love to read your impressions in the comments box.

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