U12s crowned International Youth Cup Plate Competition champions

Atalanta's U12 side enjoyed a memorable international experience by taking part in the International Youth Cup held in Burnley.

The three-day event in the north of England combined football, friendship and cultural exchange, giving Isacco Mainardi's young Nerazzurri the opportunity to test themselves against a variety of footballing schools from across Europe and beyond, with 20 teams taking part in the competition. It proved to be a valuable all-round learning experience for the 2014-born youngsters, who performed admirably throughout the tournament and ultimately lifted the Plate Competition trophy by defeating Sporting Clube de Portugal in the final.

Atalanta finished the Group B stage on seven points, level with Genk and Manchester United, placing third only on goal difference. The Nerazzurri recorded victories over Brentford and Dallas (both 3-1), drew 2-2 with Manchester United and suffered a 4-1 defeat to Genk.

Having finished third in the group, Atalanta entered the Plate Competition knockout bracket, where they defeated Pro-Elite United 3-0 in the quarter-finals, Brentford 1-0 in the semi-finals and Sporting Clube de Portugal 2-0 in the final.

There was also individual recognition for Nicola Manzoni (pictured below), who shared the tournament's Golden Boot award with Brentford's Rayyah Afaneh after finishing as the competition's joint top scorer.