As part of the cooperation between SAT (Sports Authority of Thailand) and the BVB Evonik Football Academy, 18 Thailand national youth team players were given the chance to experience a special week of training in Dortmund. In addition to seven intensive training sessions and two friendly matches, the Thai delegation also attended the Black & Yellows' UEFA Champions League home match against Inter Milan. 

The Thai national youth team players were visibly stunned by the big match atmosphere in Signal Iduna Park; every one of them had stars in their eyes as they left the ground. And who could blame them? For they had just witnessed BVB's pulsating come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Inter Milan in the Champions League up close. While this was an undoubted highlight, the U16 players also enjoyed various other activities during their stay in the city, including an intensive week of training at the BVB Evonik Football Academy as well as friendly matches against a BVB U15/U16 side as well as local club TuS Olfen. The Sports Authority of Thailand side came out on top in both encounters. ''You could see the quality they have in both matches,'' said Sven Kahlert, professional coach at the BVB Evonik Football Academy. 

During a tour of the stadium, the guests were given fascinating insight into the history of Borussia Dortmund. The action-packed week was rounded off with a team building exercise which BVB legends Jan Koller and Jörg Heinrich participated in, with both former players taking the time to fulfil the youngsters' autograph requests at the end of the session. The Thai U16 players were no doubt exhausted as they boarded the flight home, but the abiding emotion was surely happiness given all the memorable experiences they amassed during their week in Dortmund. 

The delegation from Thailand was the 17th international group to visit the BVB Evonik Football Academy in 2019, with a total of 446 young players from all corners of the globe participating in various activities. This trend is on the rise, explains Markus Pasdzior, Project Manager for International Activities at BVB: ''We are constantly receiving requests from people across the world who would like to come here and experience our youth work up close. It's always great to host international guests here and give them a sense of what BVB is all about it while helping to spread the Black & Yellow spirit.''

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