Salt Trophy in the Hands of the Slovaks!

We will be reminiscing about what happened this weekend for a long time. The largest youth football festival in Małopolska took place in Myślenice and Wieliczka: the ninth edition of the intercontinental tournament SALT MINE CUP 2024! An edition that, as every year, surprised not only with its extremely high footballing level but also with an atmosphere that reached an even higher level this year!

The facilities in Myślenice and Wieliczka are now visited by entire families. It’s not just a major club world championship anymore but also a meeting place, a source of great fun for fans, and a space for joyful and intense competition among parents supporting their kids in increasingly diverse ways.

This year saw some infrastructural innovations. In Myślenice, on the first day of the competition, football matches were traditionally held at the Sport Myślenice facility (3 fields) and, exceptionally, at the Wisła Kraków training base (3 fields), which is adjacent to the Sport Myślenice facilities and the Dalin Myślenice stadium, where no matches were played this year due to ongoing modernization. A warm-up area for teams was also provided. While waiting for the next high-stakes matches, teams warmed up and played small games on the side field of Dalin, completing the entire football field complex in Myślenice.

The whole event was preceded by the traditional opening ceremony. There was an official presentation of all teams, speeches, and performances by local cheerleading groups. And then... just pure football.

Every match had its significance. Each had an appropriate setting. Teams were led onto the field by referees, camera operators surrounded the players on every field, and a whole army of photojournalists worked to capture the young football stars. Despite almost eight hours of continuous competition, the adrenaline level never dropped. This was also ensured by Szymon Jasek - a true master of ceremonies. He made sure that the matches started simultaneously, and the first whistle of the referees was preceded by a countdown together with the fans, accompanied by musical arrangements managed by Olaf Mikołajczyk. This whole setup created real fan zones around the football fields.

Wherever you looked... fan madness. A huge Bayern Munich flag waves here, alongside an indefatigable youngster urging the Bavarians to fight even harder. On the adjacent field, loud chants of "Łódzki! Widzew! Łódzki! Widzew!" can be heard. From a distance, you can hear fans of Szczecin's Pogoń. Parents dressed in club colors from Białystok cheer. Next to them, after another victory, Slovan Bratislava players sing a song with their fans. Wisła Kraków fans were also very loud. Szymon Jasek ensured that by the end of the day, not only the players were tired but also the fans. He constantly encouraged fans from all teams to sing and cheer together. - "Which fans will be louder? Who? I shout Wisła, and you... Kraków!" - the master of ceremonies energized the spectacle.

Positive vibes spread from field to field. Families with children wandered around the fan zones, fathers analyzed the schedule app on their phones and the live-updated table. Even the Mayor of Myślenice, Mr. Jarosław Szlachetka, was caught taking photos with his phone by field number three.

 For more, visit futmal.pl.