Philadelphia Union (U-17) and Valencia CF (U-15) Earn Illustrious Generation adidas Cup Titles

NEW YORK – In its 15th edition, the 2024 Generation adidas Cup featured the most global and competitive field in the tournament’s history and saw the Philadelphia Union take home the championship in the U-17 age group, while Valencia CF (Spain) earned the U-15 age group title after seven days of high-quality play in Bradenton, Fla.

MLS academies have won six of the past eight titles at the Generation adidas Cup dating back to the 2019 tournament. Sunday’s victory by the Philadelphia Union in the U-17 age group marked the second consecutive Generation adidas Cup title for the club. The Union join Seattle Sounders FC (2019 and 2022) as recent MLS clubs to win the U-17 age group in consecutive editions of the tournament. Valencia CF became the first international club to win the U-15 age group since the tournament format changed to a U-17 and U-15 format in 2022.

The Union earned back-to-back U-17 championships by virtue of a dynamic attack featuring Jamir Johnson, Diego Rocio, Anisse Saidi, and Cavan Sullivan. After scoring twice in the semifinal, Rocio broke the title game against the LA Galaxy open in the 31st minute, capitalizing on a loose ball in the 18-yard box and volleying a one-time finish into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead. The Galaxy fought back at the start of the second half with two goals in a three-minute span, as Dylan Vanney, son of Galaxy first-team head coach Greg Vanney, tied the game up in the 38th minute and Adam Dunbar gave the Galaxy the lead when a saved shot fell to him and he tapped in his finish from close range just two minutes later.

Trailing 2-1, the dynamic duo of Johnson and Sullivan combined again as Johnson evaded defenders and played a cross for Sullivan to tap into the net to level the game in the 47th minute. Despite chances for both teams in the second half and extra time, the game progressed to penalty kicks. Union goalkeeper Gavin Aktinson made a crucial save on the Galaxy’s third penalty and he forced LA to miss their sixth penalty to give Philadelphia the victory, 2-2 (5-4 in penalty kicks).

Philadelphia has captured three Generation adidas Cup titles in their history – 2024 (U-17), 2023 (U-17), and 2012, tying D.C. United and River Plate (Argentina) for the most in the competition’s history.

Valencia CF showed their dominance throughout the tournament and the theme continued in the U-15 championship, as the Spanish club defeated Toulouse FC (France) by a…