Youth Clubs Tournament
The Youth Clubs Tournament is a vibrant competition where young talents from leading Russian and nearby clubs showcase their skills. Aimed at players under 19, it acts as a scouting and development hub, enabling clubs to test reserves in high-stakes matches focused on attack and innovation.
History and foundation
Launched in the early 2010s amid RFU youth reforms, the inaugural 2012 edition was won by Zenit's academy, featuring a young Artem Dzyuba. It has launched careers like CSKA's Alexander Golovin and Fedor Chalov. Memorable moments include Spartak's 2019 penalty shootout win over Lokomotiv and 2022's pandemic-adapted online qualifiers.
Tournament format
Features a group stage with 12-16 teams in two pools playing round-robin. Top four from each advance to quarterfinals, semifinals, and a neutral-venue final. Matches are 2x40 minutes, with VAR in playoffs. The event spans a month with recovery breaks.
Interesting facts
Average goals per game: 3.8, surpassing RPL levels due to youth flair. Top scorers: Ivan Oblakov (CSKA, 22 goals in 2017) and Georgiy Melkonyan (Krasnodar, 19 in 2021). Standouts include Dynamo’s Alexander Zotov and early Alan Dzagoev, known for pacey wingers and creative midfielders feeding U-19 nationals.