03/30/2025
Here’s a synopsis of the results of the Veterans Football World Cup 2024 held in Cardiff, Wales from Tuesday, August 20, 2024 through Friday, August 23, 2024.
I was again fortunate to play with the Freddy Fund Over 70 team (Dallas, Texas). The Over 70 Age Group consisted of fourteen (14) teams divided into two (2) Groups of seven (7) teams each. The Freddy Fund team was placed in Group 1 that consisted of the following Teams: England, Copenhagen, Germany, Sacramento Turin (California), Zealand (Denmark), and Vancouver, Canada. Group 2 consisted of Roskilde, Wales, Aalborg, North Carolina United, Australia, Connecticut United, and England A (England entered two teams).
Games were played at the Cardiff University Athletic Fields, a football/soccer sports complex consisting of multiple artificial turf pitches. The Over 70 age Group played games of 11v11 consisting of thirty (30) minute halves (60 minute game duration) on full length regulation pitches. Two (2) games a day were played during the Group play, usually a morning game followed by an afternoon game.
As a side note I have played multiple tournaments in the USA and by far the quality of play at this tournament was exceptionally more competitive and difficult with many of the teams comprising of excellent skilled football players. This was especially true for the teams from England and Wales as it was understood that the players were recruited country wide and trained together regularly in preparation for this tournament.
Nonetheless, here are the results of the Freddy Fund Over 70 team:
Tuesday, August 20, 2024 (Day One)
Morning: Freddy Fund 2 Vancouver 1……….we scored first and were ahead 2-0 when they were awarded a penalty kick for a trip in the penalty area…….our first game in a tournament is always the toughest as we start off a bit disorganized.
Afternoon: Freddy Fund 4 Zealand (Denmark) 0…………a relative easy game for us.
Wednesday, August 21, 2024 (Day Two)
Morning: Freddy Fund 5 Sacramento, CA 2………..we were easily ahead and it was decided to make 6 changes in the original lineup at the beginning of the second half and things fell apart and Sacramento was able to score their 2 goals against us.
Afternoon: Freddy Fund 2 Germany 3…….this is the first loss I have experienced as a member of the Freddy Fund Over 70 team in the three years I’ve played with them. We were ahead 2-0 and they were able to tie the game by halftime. To add further insult…….Germany hadn’t won a game to that point in the tournament.
Thursday, August 22, 2024 (Day Three)
Morning: Freddy Fund 3 England 1……..a must win game for us and we prevailed. England had not lost up to this game. It was played in rain on a wet field…..we were ahead 2-0 and they managed to score their goal in the first half……1st half ended 2-1 in our favor and we scored our third goal in the second half…....a tremendous result in a crucial game for us.
Afternoon: Freddy Fund 2 Copenhagen 0……..another must win game that was played with tired legs……..but we again prevailed. In the 1st half……we managed to receive a penalty for a trip within their penalty box and we converted the penalty kick. It stayed 1-0 for most of the game and we managed to score a second goal in the 2nd half for the win.
End of Group Play - By virtue of Thursday’s positive results, Freddy Fund finished first in Group 1 with a record of 5 wins and 1 loss. England finished second and we both advanced to the semifinal stage of the World Cup competition.
In Group 2, Wales finished first and the other English team, England A finished second.
The Semifinal draw then consisted of Freddy Fund versus England A and Wales versus England.
Friday, August 23, 2024 Day Four - Semifinal and Final
Morning Semifinal Result: Freddy Fund played England A at 10:00 AM in one of the two Semifinal Games and we won 4-1. We scored first and they countered almost immediately to tie the game. We finished the first half tied 1-1. The second half we prevailed as they faulted pretty badly……and we thus advanced to the Final Championship Game.
In the other semifinal, Wales defeated England 2-0 (the English Team we had beaten 3-1 in Group play) and Wales thus advanced to the World Cup final.
Afternoon Championship Final Result: The Championship Final game was played at 3:30 PM.
The Final was referred by a former retired English Premier League referee, Dermot Gallagher.
There were many in attendance watching this game and Freddy Fund managed to score first, with the first half ending 1-0 in our favor. The second half Wales managed to score a controversial goal on a corner kick with 10 minutes remaining in the game and the game ended tied 1 to 1.
We then immediately advanced to a Penalty Shutout………..Wales went first and scored, the Welsh Goaltender saved our first PK, Freddy Fund 0 Wales 1…….second PK Wales scored and Freddy Fund scored, Freddy Fund 1 Wales 2,…….third PK Wales scored and Freddy Fund scored, Freddy Fund 2 Wales 3…….forth PK Wales scored and Freddy Fund missed sending ball well over the top of goal………….Wales prevailed 4 to 2…………..Freddy Fund ended the 2024 Veterans World Cup as the Veterans Football World Cup 2024 Over 70 Runner-up.
Conclusion: The Wales Over 70 Team was well organized and a physical fit team that we understand was recruited from all over Wales. Overall Freddy Fund as a team that gathers only twice a year and comprised of players of all different nationalities from different parts of the USA and Canada are proud of playing in the Veterans World Cup Final and finishing in Second Place, a remarkable achievement. We can “oh so close”…!!!
The Veterans Football World Cup 2024 final results were:
First: Wales
Second: Freddy Fund (USA)
Third: England
Fourth: England A
On a personal note, this was quite an experience to compete in an international competitive football (soccer) tournament with 14 teams of 22 players on each team representing all parts of the World.
The 2025 Veterans Football World Cup Over 70/Over 75 is being considered to be hosted by Japan in October 2025 and the Tournament organizers are awaiting final confirmation from Japan.
