Lionel Messi is known as the greatest footballer of all time among the majority of fans. The Argentine has recently collaborated with Top Baller to launch a new initiative called the Messi Cup. It will be a six-day competition that will be held in Miami, where youth players will have a chance to showcase their talents.
In the inaugural edition of the tournament, eight under-16 teams, including Newell's Old Boys, Inter Milan, River Plate, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Inter Miami, will participate. The connection with Messi's past and present is clear to see. But there is more.
Additionally, two Premier League clubs will also take part, whose names have now been confirmed by reports. According to Ben Jacobs, Chelsea and Manchester City will both compete in the inaugural Messi Cup this December.
The Blues are likely to send the likes of Josh Henry, Reggie Watson, George Jobling, Erinyayo Faromo-Adebayo and Hezekiah-Daniel Grimwade to represent them at the first-ever edition of the Messi Cup. Among those youngsters, Grimwade is perhaps the most well-known, with Nike already representing him.
Chelsea to take part in the inaugural Messi Cup
In this tournament, teams with some of the best youth academies are taking part, with Chelsea among them. The Blues are known for having one of the strongest academies among Premier League clubs, having produced a number of world-class players over the years, including Declan Rice, Jamal Musiala, Levi Colwill and Reece James, to name a few.
This tournament will surely be a platform for Chelsea to bring some of their current youth talents into the spotlight for the world to see. On one hand, it will test their level, and on the other, it will also give them an early taste of what having so many eyes on them feels like and what it takes to perform under those circumstances.
The Messi Cup is set to kick off in December this year. Chelsea fans will be excited to see how the Blues youth will fare against others in this competition.