The under-18 soccer teams from Korea, Ukraine, Morocco, and Vietnam participated in the Seoul EOU Cup, which was held at Mokdong Main Stadium in Seoul on October 10, 12, and 15.
The participation of Ukraine, which is going through difficult times due to the war, and Morocco, which suffered heavy damage from a strong earthquake, attracted attention.
The name of this competition, EOU, stands for ‘EARTH ON US’ and contains the meaning of ‘Earth and Community’. As the slogan was 'ALL LIFE ON EARTH DEPENDS ON US', this tournament tried to raise awareness of the importance of a sustainable earth through soccer.
For the Seoul EOU Cup, the trophy was made of oak instead of plastic, considering the environment. There are three categories of awards: Championship, MVP, and Eco-Play. The Eco Play Award is a group award given to the team that uses the least amount of plastic and is most active in separating waste.
At the closing ceremony on the 15th, athletes representing four countries will plant a tree commemorating the EOU Cup to reflect on the meaning of the earth and community. It represents a small effort that everyone can make to preserve the Earth's environment in the hopes that youth players representing each country will grow into adult national team players.
Mayor Oh Se-hoon said, “As the youth of Ukraine and Morocco, who are going through difficult times, joined together, I hope that the players’ passion and fighting spirit will be conveyed as a message of deep emotion and hope to many people. I hope that this competition will be a time to think again about peace and the environment on Earth. “The city of Seoul will work together to create a better and more sustainable planet,” he said, congratulating the closing of the competition.
Meanwhile, with the 15th, the final day of the competition, approaching, all players are expected to compete fiercely for the championship and victory. Currently, Morocco (4 points) is ahead of Korea (4 points, +2 goals) with goals and losses +5, but the situation could be reversed depending on the results of each team's game.