Chandigarh: Indian youth football added another chapter to its growth story as Minerva Academy clinched the Gothia Cup 2026, defeating Brazil’s RS Sports 2-1 in the Under-12 final in Gothenburg, Sweden. With this, Minerva Academy has become the first in the country to win three Youth World Cups. The triumph came weeks after the Mohali-based academy lifted the Helsinki Cup in Finland, making it two European titles in the same summer.For Minerva, the latest success continues a remarkable international run. The academy says it has now won the Gothia Cup, Norway Cup and Dana Cup in recent years, alongside domestic honours including the Subroto Cup, U-15 I-League, and U-13 I-League, reinforcing its reputation as one of India’s leading youth development programmes.The final against Brazilian opposition proved to be the academy’s sternest test of the tournament. Tournament standout T Kipgen gave Minerva the lead in the 10th minute with a composed finish before RS Sports equalised later in the first half.With the contest locked at 1-1, Minerva’s disciplined pressing game and defensive organisation kept the Brazilians at bay before Nongrem struck the decisive winner in the 49th minute, sparking celebrations among the Indian contingent. The victory capped a tournament of complete dominance.Minerva won all eight matches, scoring 86 goals while conceding only seven. Their route to the title included emphatic victories over teams from England, Norway, Sweden, Kenya, France, Bolivia, Ukraine and finally Brazil.Their results included, Prep Schools Pumas (England) – 12-0, Lillestrøm SK (Norway) – 13-1, Surte IS FK (Sweden) – 16-0, Legacy Academy (Kenya) – 6-2, Prep Schools Lions (England) – 10-1, OFC Couronnes (France) – 17-1, Cancheritos FC (Bolivia) – 8-0, FC Lokomotyv Kyiv (Ukraine) – 3-2, and RS Sports (Brazil) – 2-1 (Final).Speaking to TOI, the academy attributed its sustained success to a long-term approach towards player development rather than short-term results. “The biggest difference is that we treat youth football as a long-term development process rather than just a competition,” the academy said. Players undergo year-round structured training with equal emphasis on physical development, nutrition, recovery, sports science, video analysis, education and discipline.
