Kinna IF quickest of the local teams to sign up: "Incredibly fun"

The interest in signing up for Gothia Cup was record high when registration opened last week. Already in the first 30 minutes, over 1 200 teams signed up for Gothia Cup 2025.

Kinna IF was the fastest of all local teams to sign up. They will participate with teams in both the B15 and B16 categories.
– Getting the chance to face foreign teams is incredibly fun, says coach Paul Felten.

You were the first local team to sign up! How come you were so fast?
– Were we the first local team? I didn't know that. But of course it's fun! Like most people, we were on the website when the registration was opened and from what I understand, we all had some problems at the beginning as the pressure on the website was great. But I kept refreshing the website and after a few minutes everything was working again and we could book our places.

What are your previous experiences with the tournament and what do you think is the best thing about Gothia Cup?
– We were there for the first time last year and simply had a bloody tooth. It's great fun with so many teams and exciting matches that this is something all young footballers should experience at some point during their career. The atmosphere is fantastic!

What are you most looking forward to?
– Getting the chance to face foreign teams is incredibly fun. These are almost the matches you look forward to the most.

How would you like to describe your two registered boys' teams?
– We're a mixed team with two age groups – 2009 and 2010 – that gather around 35 players. Even if we are a team that welcomes everyone, the ambition and level have always been really high. Thanks to this, we gather many of the most ambitious players from all over the Sjuhärad region. Often the climate in an academy team can be a bit harsh, but thanks to the fact that we have managed to combine the familiarity in the club with good focus and tough training, we have reached a level where we can even challenge the academy teams around Sweden. We're extra happy to have managed to get two teams signed up for Gothia Cup 2025, one in B15 and one in B16.

What is your goal with your participation? How far do you think you can go in the tournament?
– Last year we went to penalties in the round of 32 against a Latvian academy team. Of course it felt tough there and then because we know what level we can play at. The first interim goal is, of course, to go even further in 2025. Then it's a long and tough tournament with many matches, but with a little luck and if we stay injury-free, we can absolutely beat all teams. So a place in the final is not completely unreasonable to hope for, says Paul Felten.