Barcelona finish third in the first edition of U12 Futures World Cup

BRUNETE, Spain — FC Barcelona’s U12 squad closed the inaugural U12 Futures World Cup on a high note Sunday, claiming bronze with a polished 2-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain that showcased the tournament’s most lethal finisher. Destiny, the Blaugrana’s Spanish-Guinean star, struck either side of halftime to finish the competition on seven goals and secure the golden boot in front of a buoyant crowd at the Municipal Stadium.

The win offered a measure of redemption after Saturday’s semifinal, when a physical Real Betis side ended Barça’s title dream with a 2-0 defeat. Coach Pol Combellé’s response was swift: rotate the lineup, keep the intensity, and trust the player who had carried the attack all week. The decision paid dividends inside the opening quarter-hour when Destiny pounced on a loose ball in the area to open the scoring, then sealed the result after the break by converting a sharp through ball from Joel Cabanes.

Destiny’s brace was the culmination of a tournament defined by his composure in front of goal. He had already engineered the quarterfinal triumph over Real Madrid, setting up Cabanes for the late winner in a 2-1 comeback after Pedro’s header had cancelled Joel’s early strike for the Merengues. That Clásico, refereed by La Liga official Cordero Vega, remains the competition’s signature match for the Catalan side.

Sunday’s third-place contest also allowed Combellé to distribute minutes among squad players who had seen limited action during the week, yet Barça still dictated play against a PSG side that struggled to contain Destiny’s movement off the shoulder of the last defender. Denzel spurned an early opportunity to tee up his teammate at the back post, but Destiny’s persistence ensured the missed chance did not prove costly.

While Barça celebrated a podium finish, Betis lifted the inaugural trophy with a 3-1 comeback over Flamengo, Ameri, Jasper, and Lucas overturning Carlos Leonardo’s opener. Tournament organizers named Betis full-back Javier Secano MVP for his long throw-ins that rivaled corner kicks in attacking threat. Real Madrid, eliminated by Barça on Saturday, settled for consolation honors, edging Boca Juniors on penalties in a “historic champions” exhibition after a 1-1 draw highlighted by David Sánchez’s Panenka-style conversion.

For Barcelona, the bronze medal and Destiny’s golden boot provide tangible proof that La Masia’s next generation can compete on a global stage—even when the top prize slips just out of reach.