Staff Reporter
SWAKOPMUND – The Neymar Jr’s 5 maiden qualifiers kicked off in the coastal holiday resort of Swakopmund, last weekend.
The Neymar Jr’s 5, a Brazilian football star’s signature 5-a-side football contest, is a Red Bull initiative co-sponsored by Bank Windhoek. Snickers, the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) and Fresh FM are sponsors too.
Themed ‘Outplay Them All’, registered teams turned up to outplay each other in the midst of a misty day. Teams competed in the round robins stages as skills and class turned out to be the game changers.
In the end, SFC Welwitschia emerged victorious after it dominated the qualifiers and was crowned the coastal number one team. SFC Atlantic took up the second spot while SFC Namib, followed.
Tika-Tika were placed fourth and NY Galaxy from Walvis Bay, secured the last spot as the fifth coastal team to have qualified for the National Final to take place in Windhoek at the UN Plaza on Saturday, June 30, 2018.
“The search for that one exceptional five-a-side team to represent Namibia at the World Final on Saturday, July 21 in Brazil has begun.
The Oshakati qualifier will be as exciting as what we have witnessed in Swakopmund and we wish all the participants the best,” said Bank Windhoek Head of Corporate Affairs, Hayley Allen.
Northern registered teams are encouraged to turn up prepared as the tournament second qualifier is slated to take place at the Oshakati Independence Stadium this coming Saturday.
“We are excited to have finally brought such an international tournament to Namibia. This was an ice breaker and June is going to be an exciting month for everyone involved with this tournament,” said BKK Sports head, Harald Fuelle.
Namibia’s most successful professional soccer player, who is part of the project leading committee from BKK Sports, Collin Benjamin, said that he was impressed with the type of talent and flair witnessed at the coast.
“The coastal teams have grasped this concept which gives them a little bit of an advantage over the other teams. I am looking forward to one of the best tournaments ever staged in this country,” said Benjamin.
The 3rd and final qualifiers take place on Saturday, June 16, 2018 at Dawid Bezuidenhout Sports fields in Windhoek.
Only one Namibian team is eligible to win the main prize; an all-expenses paid trip to the World Final in Brazil and the potential to play against Neymar Jr’s team. For more information, log on to
www.neymarjrsfive.com.
To register your team, sms your TEAM NAME & CAPTAIN NAME to 081 335 7211.