Barcelona Crowned Champions of the 11th International Cup

Barcelona clinched the title of the 11th edition of the International Cup after a commanding 5–2 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the final.

The team side captured the trophy for the first time in the tournament’s history, joining an elite list of previous champions that includes Paris Saint-Germain (three titles), Real Madrid (three titles), Aspire Dreams (two titles), and one title apiece for Brazil’s Fluminense and Scotland’s Rangers.

Barcelona were presented with the championship trophy, gold medals, and the $50,000 first-place prize by Mr. Essa bin Abdullah Al Hitmi, General Manager of Alkass Sports Channels; Mr. Nasser Al-Hajri, Chief Marketing Officer of Aspire Zone Foundation; Mr. Talal Al-Kaabi, Director of National Teams; and Mr. Ali Saeed Al-Maliki, representing United Development Company. Paris Saint-Germain received silver medals and the $30,000 runners-up prize.

Barcelona captain Hugo Lagunas was named Player of the Tournament, while Iyad Hamzi also earned Best Player honors. Rico Inada of Japan’s Kashiwa Reysol finished as the tournament’s top scorer with six goals, and Kashiwa Reysol were awarded the Fair Play prize.

The final produced an entertaining and competitive display, with both sides pressing for control from the opening whistle and seeking to dictate possession and create scoring opportunities.
Barcelona struck first in the ninth minute through Artem Rybak, who capitalized on a defensive lapse and converted a rebound from the goalkeeper. Paris Saint-Germain responded quickly when Maoula Niakate leveled the score two minutes later with an impressive solo effort, cutting in from the right before firing into the net.

Barcelona were handed a golden opportunity to regain the lead in the 24th minute after being awarded a penalty, but Ruslan Hernando saw his effort saved by the French goalkeeper. PSG then went ahead in the 38th minute courtesy of Abed-Chahid El Mezouari.

The second half belonged to Barcelona, who dominated proceedings and mounted a decisive comeback. Hernando equalized in the 41st minute before Lagunas restored Barcelona’s advantage in the 52nd. Rybak added his second of the night in the 60th minute, and French defender Mathieu Petit-Dol inadvertently turned the ball into his own net in the 77th minute to complete the scoring.

The result sealed a memorable triumph for Barcelona, marking a historic first International Cup title for the Spanish giants.