7 Elite Academy’s UK players faced teams from across the world as part of a package of international friendlies – including official academy partners of Real Madrid.

Junior teams from the United States, Bermuda and Northern Ireland played games in Liverpool during various tours of the United Kingdom during the Easter holidays.

7 Elite Academy’s U-13s played Akinji Soccer, who work closely with Real Madrid in New York, as well as Steel City from Pittsburgh, while the U-9s faced Bermuda Brazilians and the U-14s played South Belfast YFL.

The games were designed to give youngsters an opportunity to develop their skills against teams from different cultures as part of 7 Elite Academy’s Player Pathway programme.

Billy Vaughan, 7 Elite Academy UK Coaching Co-Ordinator, said: “These games have been an excellent opportunity for our players to see how teams from across the world play football.

“Every game has been highly competitive and closely fought, which is what I would expect from teams of this calibre. We were delighted to welcome them to Liverpool.

“The games had a real sense of occasion that we don’t usually see with friendly matches. It was also great to mix with coaches from these clubs and exchange ideas.

“Our players learned some excellent lessons what will stand them in good stead for the rest of the season and beyond. These games will be a huge benefit to them.”

7 Elite Academy’s Player Pathway is a global coaching and education programme that creates opportunities to play soccer, study and live in the United States, United Kingdom and Africa.

Players from Liverpool regularly travel to the USA to play in high profile tournaments and college recruitment events, with many receiving college scholarship offers as a result.

Anthony Godfrey, Global Director at 7 Elite Academy, added: “It was a great honour – not to mention a fantastic experience for our players – to host so many games against international teams during Easter.

“It’s no co-incidence that with our Player Pathway now offering opportunities to play and study in the USA on a regular basis, international teams are interested in seeing what we to offer.

“As an academy, games like this are a great chance to forge new partnerships with even more clubs across the world. That in turn creates even more career routes for our players to follow.

“We are a global youth football organisation, so with teams in the UK, USA and Africa, as well as an international tournament event year in Nevada, we are keen to build on these links for the benefit of our players.”