Following the conclusion of the participation of Macedonia’s under-20 national team at the Mediterranean Games, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to all the clubs that gave their consent for their footballers to be part of the national team squad and compete in the international tournament.
We particularly appreciate the support from the clubs, bearing in mind that the Mediterranean Games are being held during a period that is not included in the official FIFA calendar. Precisely for that reason, the decision by the clubs to allow their footballers to respond to the national team call-up is of special significance for the promotion of Macedonian football.
The participation of our team at the Mediterranean Games, held under the auspices of the International Olympic Committee, is an important experience for young Macedonian footballers and an opportunity to compete in a strong international tournament against national teams from the Mediterranean region.
At the same time, we would also like to express our gratitude to the clubs that, due to their obligations and needs, were unable to grant permission for certain footballers to participate. During the preparations and the tournament itself, there were also several late decisions to withdraw previously called-up footballers, which further affected the coaching staff’s ability to work with the planned squad. These are objective circumstances that are an integral part of sport and must be accepted as such.
For the Football Federation of Macedonia, such appearances are an important part of the process of developing national team players and creating a broader pool of footballers. Once again, our thanks to all the clubs, the footballers, the coaching staff and everyone who contributed to Macedonia’s under-20 national team being part of the Mediterranean Games.
