For the Chandigarh-based academy, making its mark on the European stage has become a tradition.
While the football world remains focused on the FIFA World Cup, Indian football had its own moment of pride as Minerva Academy FC added another historic achievement to the nation’s youth football story by clinching the prestigious 2026 Helsinki Cup.
For the Chandigarh-based academy, success on the European stage has become a defining tradition. Over the past two years, Minerva has continued to set new benchmarks for Indian youth football, with the Helsinki Cup victory marking another significant milestone in a remarkable journey of growth and achievement.
Big win
Over the weekend, Minerva secured the coveted title with a hard-fought 1-0 victory against tournament hosts and defending champions HJK.
Twelve months earlier, Minerva had made history as the first Indian team to reach the Helsinki Cup final, scoring 42 goals without conceding a single goal before narrowly losing 1-0 to PK-35. Returning to Finland with a point to prove, the academy ensured a different outcome this time, lifting the trophy as champions.
The Indian side dominated the competition from the opening match to the final, scoring more than 50 goals while keeping opponents at bay with a formidable defensive display.
A dominant campaign
Minerva began their Helsinki Cup campaign in commanding fashion, defeating FC Valtti 6-1 before producing emphatic victories over Helsingin Palloseura (9-1) and EBK (11-0). Their dominance continued into the knockout stages, where they overwhelmed Helsingin Ponnistus 19-0 in the Round of 32 before advancing to the Round of 16 through a walkover against Makati FC.
In the quarter-finals, Minerva delivered another statement performance by defeating HJK 6-0. They followed it up with a 9-0 win over Käpylan Pallo in the semi-finals before securing the title with a narrow 1-0 victory against defending champions HJK in the final.
Star performers
Several players played pivotal roles throughout the tournament. T. Kipgen’s six-goal haul against EBK stood out as one of the competition’s memorable individual performances, while Yohenba delivered a series of influential displays, including a hat-trick against EBK and the opening goal in the quarter-final win over HJK. Rimoson also impressed, scoring a hat-trick against FC Kasiysi and continuing his fine form during the knockout rounds. Haokip, Nongdren, Paikhomba, Wangshem and Donald also made valuable contributions to the team’s title-winning run.
Earlier this year, Minerva captured global attention by defeating Liverpool FC’s U-15 team 6-0 in the Round of 16 at the prestigious Mediterranean International Cup (MIC) in Spain. That achievement followed a historic 2025 season, when Minerva became the first Indian team to win the Norway Cup, scoring 130 goals in just eight matches before sealing the title with a 14-1 victory in the final. The academy also lifted the Dana Cup in Denmark, becoming the first Indian side in 43 years to win the tournament after a record-breaking 15-0 triumph in the final.
With the Helsinki Cup now added to their growing collection of European honours, Minerva will next travel to Sweden for the Gothia Cup — widely regarded as the World Youth Cup — where they will aim to secure yet another prestigious title and further cement their place in youth football history.
