U17: Seattle Sounders vs Real Madrid Post-Match Press Conference 20.02.2025
It’s still a long way home for the Seattle Sounders who will be playing for the 3rd or 4th place after losing 0-2 to Real Madrid at the semi-finals match on Thursday, Team Manager Wade Joseph Webber said at a post-match press conference.
Webber said it was a deserved loss for the team while acknowledging that Real Madrid was a more threatening and a great team. He was quick to add that there’s no shame in losing and that it has been a great experience for the boys to compete with big clubs at the tournament which have been displaying exceptional levels.
Seattle Sounders will be playing against the losing team between the Paris Saint-Germain and Rangers Football Club match. He however stressed that the team is now aiming for a 3rd place at the Cup.
Speaking about the growing popularity of football in the US, Webber said ‘soccer’ is a fast growing sport, and while the Club, which has been formed in the 1970’s is not as old as Real Madrid, it is growing and is currently learning what it means to compete internationally.
“Soccer is a very popular game amongst the section of the population. People have to remember America as a nation of immigrants. It's the game of the world. So for us, it’s not new, but I think for the United States, it's always going to be outside of the mainstream, but the mainstream is getting more and more different I think in the United States,” Webber added.
Also addressing the media, Real Madrid Head Coach Alvaro Lopez Bermejo thanked his players for their great efforts and making it to the finals.
Bermejo added that the boys played a tough match and he was satisfied with the team’s consistent efforts.
He added that it doesn't matter at this point which team they are going to face in the finals, and all that matters is the team come prepared and ready to battle.
“We benefited a lot from participating in this tournament, both on and off the field playing against a lot of high-level competition in this tournament. Even representing our club outside our country here in international waters is also a learning experience for a lot of the boys. We're happy to be here,” added Bermejo.
