Under 15 Belize Boys National Football Team to train in Colombia before travelling to Curaçao for Concacaf Championship

Photo Credit: FFB

By Rubén Morales Iglesias: After their official presentation on Thursday in Belmopan, the Under 15 Belize Boys National Football Team (BBNT) will be leaving early Friday for a three-week training camp in Colombia before travelling to Curaçao for the 2023 Concacaf Boys’ Under-15 Championship League B.

The Football Federation of Belize’s Technical Director Philip Marin said the team is embarking ‘on a journey for glory’.

“Our goal for this team, U15 boys’ team is for us to advance the 2027 FIFA [Under 20] World Cup which is four years ahead of us,” Marin said at the BBNT presentation at the FFB Headquarters.

“We have a lot of things to do and the first thing we will be doing is to put together a development plan for this team, a development plan that will focus on five pillars: focus on training locally, matches locally and international, focus on education. We need to ensure that these boys stay in school so they can get scholarships in the future. Focus on training camp and lastly to partner with the different business community and also stakeholders in sports.”

The BBNT will be competing in the 2023 Concacaf Championship in Curaçao from August 4-11. Our boys have been drawn in Group G in League B along with Bermuda, Cayman Islands, and Aruba.

Belize open against Bermuda on Sunday, August 6, at 11 am. The second game is set for Monday, August 7, against Cayman Islands, Belize will then close group action against Aruba on Tuesday, August 8.

“Our plan is to advance from the group and get into the semifinals and then to the final.”

“We have been training for over 17 to 18 weeks. We have gone to Costa Rica to participate in the Uncaf U15 Boys Championship. The guys played well, played about four games. The result was not what we expected but it was a preparation.”

Marin said the BBNT leaves on Friday to Colombia via Cancun.

“In Colombia we will stay 20 days. Twenty days which will focus on the physical component of development of a player. So, it will be a lot of physical work.”

Marin then asked everyone for support to motivate the players.

Cayo Football Association says they support Cayo players Devaughan Quintanilla and Marlon Meza Jr. (Photo Courtesy: Cayo Football Association)

“At this point it is not about winning but about experience, exposing our players to international football and the life of an athlete,” Marin said.

“The life of an athlete is very important to our players so they can know how to play in big stadiums, so they can know how athletes win, how athletes train, and how athletes develop this relationship amongst players.”

Marin then asked the players to do their best in Colombia before Coach Pelayo echoed his words about the journey and hard work.

Coach Dale Pelayo said the goal of qualifying for the 2027 FIFA Under-20 World Cup is achievable but explained that it will require hard work and sacrifice.

“This team was built for the future, to represent in 2027 Under 20 World Cup. That’s our game. That’s our objective. And if you ask me as coach, we will reach there,” Pelayo said, while reminding the players that they weren’t going to Colombia on vacation.

He said that never before had the FFB invested $100,000 in any Belize National Football Team to train in another country.

“This is just one step within the process,” he said.

“We’re going on a project to develop you as a player,” he added.

“I have been a National Team player, I have been a National Team coach, and I have never seen the investment the Federation has put together for a youth team to go out and train internationally. This is the first.”

Pelayo said the goal is to win the tournament.

“We will win. We will celebrate when we return on the 14th of August. I promise you boys that. We will celebrate,” Pelayo said emphatically.

The ‘A’ Belize Men’s National Team (BMNT) Manager Ian Jones also echoed Pelayo’s words on the investment on youth teams. Jones said that rather than give the ‘A’ BMNT a friendly game in Florida before the CONCACAF Nations League, the FFB opted to give preference to the U15 BBNT’s training in Colombia because they represent the future.

“I believe that investing in our youth team is where we should go,” Jones said.

“This is a great opportunity. Never before has this been done for any team where you go out of the country, you train at a higher altitude, you train not only the professional staff of the Federation but international staff. You get to play friendly games before you go out to you competition. So, go out, make us proud, do your best and do not become too comfortable.”

BBNT Team Manager Jones closed by sounding a warning. He told the U15 BBNT players not to get too comfortable because there are hundreds of other boys around the country who want their spot.