Barcelona did not play youth tournament over Spain shirt
Barça's U12s reportedly did not represent Spain at the Danone Nations Cup because they would have had to wear the country's colours.
FC Barcelona did not represent Spain in the boys' category of a recent youth football tournament because they would have had to wear the country's colours, it has been reported.
Having participated in the qualifying phase of the 2019 Danone Nations Cup - during which they were allowed to use their club shirt - Barça's Under-12s were absent from the finals in Catalonia this weekend, despite earning a spot at the event.
"Barcelona chiefs adamant they would not play in shirt that wasn't their own"
"They had to take part [in the finals] wearing a Spain shirt - and Barcelona chiefs were adamant that the club would not play in a shirt that wasn't their own," the Cadena SER Catalunya radio programme 'Què T'hi Jugues' claimed on Tuesday.
Barça's place as Spain's Danone Cup representatives was taken by Villarreal, who finished second to Mexico. Meanwhile, the girls' tournament was won for Spain by the Blaugrana's near neighbours Espanyol.
"World's biggest football tournament for children aged 10 to 12"
Created in 2000, the Danone Nations Cup is described as "the world's biggest football tournament for children aged 10 to 12". 20 countries took part in this year's boys' event, while nine nations were involved in the girls' category, which was introduced in 2017.