Volkswagen gives Young Soccer Players a Shot at the International Stage.

Volkswagen of America launched the Volkswagen Junior Masters, a 20-country, international youth soccer tournament. Created by Volkswagen AG, the international competition is the first of its kind in the U.S. One team will have the honor of representing the U.S. (and will enjoy an all expenses paid trip) at the Volkswagen Junior World Master Finals in May 2010 prior to the FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The Volkswagen Junior Masters tournament runs from July 20th through October 2009 and builds upon the company’s global commitment to the sport.

“As a long-time global supporter of soccer, Volkswagen is taking its U.S. soccer presence to new heights by giving young soccer players the chance to compete on the world stage,” said Tim Ellis, Vice President of Marketing for Volkswagen of America, Inc. “The Volkswagen Junior Masters extends our growing commitment to soccer in the U.S. and complements our existing U.S. soccer initiatives including our sponsorship of MLS, D.C. United and The Footballers’ Clubhaus youth soccer tour.” 
   
The Volkswagen Junior Masters kicked off with a preliminary tournament July 18th and continues on across the East Coast to: Fort Dix, NJ; Downingtown, PA; Winston Salem, NC; Lancaster, PA; Richmond, VA; and, Parsippany, NJ on October 11. Twelve total teams from the preliminary tournaments will be invited to compete in the U.S. finals in Washington, D.C. on October 17 – 18. All youth soccer clubs and school teams that meet the specified age requirements are eligible to participate in the Volkswagen Junior Masters. The winning U.S. team will then go on to compete in the Volkswagen Junior World Master Finals against 19 other teams in Cape Town, South Africa May 26 – 30, 2010.
   
“Major League Soccer is proud to partner with Volkswagen on a tournament like the Junior Masters that encourages fun and competitive soccer, especially among younger players,” said Kathy Carter, executive vice president of Soccer United Marketing, MLS’ marketing arm. “We look forward to the various competitions that lay ahead and to the excitement that this event will generate among soccer fans across the United States and internationally.”

“It’s exciting to see Volkswagen demonstrate such a profound commitment to developing young Hispanic soccer players through initiatives like the Junior Masters Tournament,” said Jaime Moreno, Major League Soccer’s all-time leading scorer and an official spokesperson for the Volkswagen Junior Masters in the U.S. “Volkswagen, through the Junior Masters Tournament, has created the opportunity of a lifetime for emerging young Hispanic talent everywhere.”

Globally, Volkswagen has been a long time supporter of soccer. The brand is the title sponsor of Volkswagen arena in Wolfsburg and owns the VFL Wolfsburg football club at its global headquarters. In the U.S., Volkswagen of America is the official automotive partner of Major League sponsor and is a sponsor of D.C. United. The brand also recently launched the Footballers’ Clubhaus presented by Volkswagen and MLS, a 19-city mobile marketing tour showcasing Volkswagen’s product family at local youth soccer tournaments.