India’s Minerva Academy continued its strong international journey at the Gothia Cup 2026 in Sweden, where its Boys 12 team met Norway’s Lillestrøm SK in the group stage on 14 July.
Minerva won the match 13–1, adding another strong result to the academy’s growing record in international youth football.
For Road to FIFA 2034, however, the significance goes beyond the scoreline. Once again, young players from India and Norway were meeting on a European football pitch – gaining international experience and competing against players developed in very different football environments.
Minerva’s participation in tournaments such as the Gothia Cup, Dana Cup and Norway Cup demonstrates the value of giving young Indian players regular exposure to international competition.
Matches like this are also a reminder of the connections already developing between Indian and Norwegian youth football.
The road to 2034 is being played one match at a time.
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