Athletic Bilbao Wins Inaugural Santiago del Teide National Alevín Tournament
Athletic Club de Bilbao secured the gold-tier title at the inaugural Santiago del Teide National Alevín Football Tournament in Tenerife, an event celebrating grassroots talent and the importance of youth development in Spanish football.
The 1st Santiago del Teide National Alevín Football Tournament 2026 highlighted the vital role youth categories play in the future of Spanish football. Held in Tenerife, the event showcased promising young talent and demonstrated how public-private partnerships are essential for supporting grassroots sports and identifying future stars.
Athletic Club de Bilbao took home the gold-tier title after a thrilling 4-3 victory over Real Madrid, a match that perfectly captured the intense rivalry between the country’s top youth academies. The tournament also featured additional finals to encourage competition at every level: U.D. Las Palmas beat C.D. Tenerife in the silver final, while U.D. Matanza Culegas won the bronze final against the Santiago del Teide Municipal School.
Organized by Proyecto Gol Tenerife with support from the local council, private sponsors, and IDECO, S.A., the tournament also recognized outstanding individual performances. Real Madrid’s Antonio was named the tournament’s best player, while his teammate Pablo earned the top scorer award. The prize for the best goalkeepers went to Yarey and Dani from U.D. Las Palmas for their defensive consistency.
Supported by the Tenerife Island Council, the event served an important social purpose by bringing together clubs from across Spain in a spirit of camaraderie. The sportsmanship displayed throughout the weekend proved that this format successfully balances high-level competition with the core values needed for young athletes to grow.