Right to Dream Academy (RtD) have won the 2014 edition of the Gothia Cup – the prestigious World Youth Football Tournament, held in Gothenburg, Sweden.

In a pulsating final, the Old Akrade-based academy beat Mjällby AIF 7-6 on penalties to win the trophy and became the first Ghanaian side to win the Gothia Cup since Asante Kotoko in 1997.

“This is a big moment for the Academy,” RtD technical director, Gareth Henderby, said about the feat. “To win the Gothia Cup is a fantastic achievement – it’s only our second year participating in the tournament.”

He added: “The Gothia Cup has a great pedigree and Right to Dream adds its name to the history of this tournament. The players showed a great amount of character to win the final, and a great sense of belief – you need that in tournaments, playing multiple games in a short space of time. They have proved they are winners.”

The RtD Academy came through six tough matches to win the tournament, including a 4-1 victory over the Finnish side, HJK Helsinki, in the semi-finals.

The RtD squad now heads to the UK for an eight-week tour, which will see the Academy youngsters test themselves against some of the best UK Academy sides, including Manchester City, Newcastle United, Sunderland and Everton. 

The tour will also provide the students with an opportunity to live in and learn about different cultures, together with a series of educational visits.