HARRISON, N.J. (August 25, 2025) – U-15 Red Bulls Academy has completed play in the ISR Elite Cup 2025 in Zwolle, Netherlands.
The squad kicked off group play with a bang, earning a 2-0 win over German side Wolfsburg, and a 3-1 win over Dutch club ISR.
The side completed group play with three shutouts courtesy of a 2-0 win over Dutch side NAC Breda, 0-0 draw against German club Schalke 04, and 1-0 win over Danish side Odense BK.
The U-15s sat a top Group B with 13 points after going 4-0-1 through five group play matches. The side finished with the most goals scored in the group with eight and gave up the fewest goals with only one conceded.
New York moved onto the CL Group B on day two. The shutouts continued with the side earning 2-0 victories against Finnish club PPJ Helsinki and Dutch side KAA Gent. With the victories Red Bulls qualified for the semifinals.
The U-15s had a rematch against Odense BK in the semifinal. The match was hard fought and finished with a 1-1 draw. New York moved on thanks to a penalty kick shootout victory to advance to the final.
In the final, the U-15s faced up against Danish club FC Copenhagen. In regulation, the match finished in a tense 0-0 draw. New York would fall and lose in a penalty kick shootout.
New York finished second out of a 12 team pool and was one of two non-European academies in the tournament. They scored the most goals in the tournament with 13, which is five more than second-most goals score that FC Copenhagen and KAA Gent achieved with eight goals scored. They also tied FC Copenhagen and Borussia Dortmund for least goals conceded with two.
"The ISR Cup was a fantastic experience for our group. We went unbeaten, finishing with the most wins, most goals scored, and the fewest conceded, which shows the level of work being done across the NYRB academy to match top European clubs." Says Head Coach Jose Jimenez, "more importantly, this trip gave our players the chance to grow, compete, and build lasting memories together, all of which will be invaluable as we prepare for a long season ahead."
The tournament was an exceptional showing for the U-15s, and a great start to their season ahead of their 2025-26 MLS NEXT campaign.
New York will begin their MLS NEXT season on Saturday, September 6, as they host FA Euro New York at Red Bulls Training Facility.
