Sporting Kids

In 2016, Barcelona’s under-12 football team inspired millions around the world with a captivating display of sportsmanship.

Competing at the Junior Soccer World Challenge Tournament in Japan, Barcelona staged a series of impressive victories. Soon, however, Barcelona was handed a much more difficult challenge – a match against local Japanese side Omiya Ardija Junior in the final.

In a hotly contested battle, Barcelona’s under-12 players managed to pip the hometown heroes to the post by coming away with a 1-0 win. As the sound of the final whistle echoed across the stadium, Omiya’s players dropped to the floor, with defeat and anguish strewn across their young faces.

Barcelona’s players, led by Capdevila Puigmal, walked over to their Japanese counterparts and comforted them with hugs, handshakes and encouragement. As the tears fell, one Barcelona player took this empathy even further by giving the Omiya players a pep talk that helped ease the blow of defeat.

Winning the Laureus Sporting Moment Award in 2016, this spontaneous moment of emotional maturity epitomises the value of true sportsmanship.