São Paulo – Al Hilal Al Saudi Club, from Saudi Arabia, is the only foreign team to dispute the São Paulo Youth Football Cup, to take place from January 3rd to 25th 2010, in São Paulo. The competition is coordinated by the São Paulo State Football Federation (FPF) and the objective is to celebrate the foundation of the city (on January 25th) and provide incentives to the development of the Under 20 category in Brazil.
The 41st São Paulo Cup should be disputed by 92 teams to be divided into 23 groups. The Saudi team should play in the U group in the first phase. The competition has six phases. In the first round, Al Hilal should face Atlético Paranaense, in the city of Paulínia, in the interior of São Paulo state, on Sunday (3rd). In the same stadium, in the second round, the Arab team should play against Paulínia Futebol Clube, on Tuesday (6th), and in the third, on the 9th, against Remo, from Pará.
The Al Hilal Youth Team sponsor is Brazilian player Triage Naves, second striker in Al Hilal Club. The midfielder, before becoming a player for the Saudi team, halfway through the year, played for the Brazilian Fluminense, from Rio de Janeiro. Other Brazilians who have already played for the Arab team were Roberto Rivelino, who also played for the Brazilian Team that won the World Cup in 1970, and midfielder Bruno Agnello.
Al Hilal was established in 1957, in Riyadh, and is considered one of the best teams in Saudi Arabia. The team has already won six Asia Cups, two Gulf Cups and the Arab Cup of Cups, among other competitions.
*Translated by Mark Ament
