There were only two trophies missing from Minerva Academy FC’s extraordinary European collection. Last year, they conquered almost everything in sight but fell at the final hurdle in the Helsinki Cup and the MIC Cup. This time, they seem to be adamant to make sure there would be no unfinished business.
The Chandigarh-based academy defeated defending champions and two-time winners HJK 1-0 in the final to lift the 2026 Helsinki Cup, completing a remarkable redemption story and adding yet another landmark achievement to Indian youth football.
It wasn’t simply another European title. It was the one that had escaped them.
Twelve months ago, Minerva became the first Indian side to reach a Helsinki Cup final, scoring 42 goals without conceding before a narrow 1-0 defeat to PK-35 denied them the trophy. Returning to Finland with that memory still fresh, they left with the silverware that had eluded them, capping another unforgettable week in Europe.
The triumph also underlined just how far this group has come. What once seemed like isolated giant-killing acts has now become a habit, with Minerva repeatedly outplaying some of the biggest youth academies on the continent.
A GOAL MACHINE THROUGHOUT HELSINKI
Minerva barely gave their opponents a chance throughout the tournament, scoring more than 50 goals on their way to the title.
Their campaign began with a 6-1 victory over FC Valtti before they overwhelmed Helsingin Palloseura 9-1 and crushed EBK 11-0, with T. Kipgen producing a stunning six-goal haul. The knockout rounds were no different. They demolished Helsingin Ponnistus 19-0 in the Round of 32 before advancing via a walkover against Makati FC in the Round of 16.
The defining performance came in the quarter-finals, where Minerva dismantled HJK 6-0 to book their place in the semi-finals. They followed it up with another emphatic display, thrashing Käpylän Pallo 9-0 in the last four before edging defending champions HJK 1-0 in the final to complete a remarkable campaign.
Several players starred across the competition. T. Kipgen finished among the standout performers after his six-goal masterclass against EBK. Yohenba delivered crucial goals throughout, including a hat-trick against EBK and the opener in the 6-0 win over HJK. Rimoson chipped in with a hat-trick against FC Kasiysi and continued his scoring run in the knockout stages, while Haokip, Nongdren, Paikhomba, Wangshem and Donald all played important roles as Minerva tore through European defences.
FROM LIVERPOOL TO HELSINKI
If anyone still doubted Minerva’s credentials, the past year has answered every question.
Earlier this season, the academy stunned European football by thrashing Liverpool FC’s U-15 side 6-0 in the Round of 16 of the prestigious Mediterranean International Cup (MIC) in Spain. Raj Singh struck a hat-trick, Mohammad Azam Khan scored twice and Lisham Amarson Singh completed one of the most remarkable victories ever recorded by an Indian youth side against elite European opposition.
That victory came after an extraordinary 2025 campaign in which Minerva became the first Indian team to win the Norway Cup, scoring a staggering 130 goals in eight matches before sealing the title with a 14-1 victory in the final. They also lifted the Dana Cup in Denmark, becoming the first Indian side in 43 years to win the competition after a record-breaking 15-0 triumph in the final.
Now, they have finally added the Helsinki Cup to that growing list.
The celebrations, however, will have to wait. Minerva head straight to Sweden for the Gothia Cup, widely regarded as the World Youth Cup, chasing yet another European crown. Given what they have achieved over the past year, few would be brave enough to bet against them.
– Ends
