Remember when Philadelphia Union faced Atletico Madrid? What about when they went toe-to-toe with Borussia Dortmund?
Alright, so the Union first team has yet to face those clubs, but last week the Under-14s went down to the International Champions Cup Futures tournament to face some of Europe's best. Philly could not knock off the juggernauts out of Spain and Germany, but they still competed at a high level, making it to the semi-finals of the "Bowl" competition before falling to an All-Star team from North Carolina.
The experience of facing top European competition will, the Union hope, galvanize their young academy players in the coming season.