For the first time ever, Portsmouth High School nominated pupils to trial for the Prep Schools Lions Squad (for pupils up to Year 8), and from over 250 talented pupils across 100+ schools in five southern counties, four of our senior school pupils made the cut.
Many congratulations to Marina D-L, Tia A, and Charlotte R-B (Year 7), along with Iris H (Year 8), who will proudly represent Portsmouth High School and the Prep Schools Lions, as well as being one of the teams representing England at the prestigious Gothia World Youth Football Cup in Gothenburg, Sweden in July 2025.
Louise Hall, Coordinator of Prep Sport, expressed her pride: ‘We are extremely proud of our pupils for being selected to play in Gothenburg. The event is the biggest youth football tournament in the world, and next summer will mark its 50th anniversary, making the experience even more special. Having attended the tournament as a parent last year, I am genuinely excited for them as I know just how amazing the whole experience is.’
Before heading to Sweden, our pupils will gear up with a residential training weekend during the Easter holidays at Tonbridge School. Marina, who will play outfield, shared her excitement: ‘I am really excited about this opportunity and very grateful to the school for my nomination to trial. The Gothia Cup sounds like an incredible experience.’
Marina, Tia, and Iris must have truly impressed at the trials, as they not only secured their spots for the training camp and Gothia Cup but also earned places in their respective Lions ‘A’ squads. This means they’ll get to play in several fixtures against academy teams this term. Iris, who earned a place as a goalkeeper, is thrilled and eagerly looking forward to the summer adventure in Sweden.
We wish every success to all four pupils for the year ahead and can’t wait to share their participation and achievements in the coming months.
