History
The PSV Youth tournament for the Otten Cup, was played for the first time in 1947. This being the result of big help from Ir. P.F.S. Otten, the then president of N.V. Philips. The challenge cup was and still is named after the then president of Philips N.V.
In the early years of the tournament only regional contenders competed for the trophy, quickly extend with national competitors and since 1957 teams from abroad. After the appearance of the Australian national team in 1984 and 1986, Nagoya Grampus Eight from Japan and the later on winner EC Vitoria from Brazil, made sure three confederations were represented. Since that year people speak of a highly rated intercontinental tournament.
Since quite some time, the tournament is widely appreciated as an event in which future stars show themselves. This is the reason lot’s of national and international scouts visit the tournament each year. Many players, who became top-players later on in their career, competed as youth players in the Otten Cup tournament. Dutch internationals like Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Robin van Persie, Ryan Babel, Wilfred Bouma and Wesley Sneijder are just a few of them. Also some players from PSV’s current first team roster, like Dirk Marcellis, Otman Bakkal and Ibrahim Afellay, competed in the tournament.
Cup Winners
The first Otten Cup gots it’s permanent owner in V.V. Blauw Wit from Amsterdam. In this era it was still the rule that a three time winner became the owner of the trophy. Afterwards it was decided that a club had to win the trophy three times running or five times in total in order to become the owner of the Otten Cup.
The second Otten Cup was won by V.V. Sunderland in 1963, who won the tournament for a third time in a row. Hosts PSV won the third and fourth Otten Cup, with tournament victories in 1965-1967 and 1976-1978.
EC Vitoria took home the 7th Otten Cup to Brazil in 2006.
Between 1980 and 1993 the tournament was only won by Dutch teams (Ajax, Sparta or PSV). Thanks to victories in 1981, 1983, 1984, 1987 and the 1988 thriller against Arsenal (1-0), the fifth Otten Cup was also in PSV’s trophy cabinet.
So far PSV has won the tournament a record 18 times, for the last time in 2003 by beating arch-rivals Ajax 6-0. This was the fith victory since 1988, resulting in the sixth Otten Cup being for PSV. Three years ago EC Vitoria beat PSV in the final, winning their third consecutive title, bringing the 7th Otten Cup to Brazil. Two years ago Sport Club Internacional from Brazil won the tournament after a shoot out against PSV. Unfortunately they we're not able to defend their victory last year. With the 2-1 victory of FC Twente/Heracles over Cruzeiro the Otten Cup stayed on Dutch soil.
Click here for a list of all winners of the PSV Youth Tournament for the Otten Cup
