Over 2,500 visitors to the 2025 Porsche Football Cup were treated to European football of the highest class during the weekend. At VfB Stuttgart’s headquarters, eight top clubs, including partners of the Porsche Youth Development Programme “Turbo for Talents” plus major clubs like FC Barcelona and FC Bayern Munich, competed against each other.
The coveted trophy was secured in an electric atmosphere by Red Bull Football Academy Salzburg with a 1-0 win over the home town club. The all-important goal was scored by the No. 6 Konstantin Hofmeier just before the end of the first half. It means Red Bull Football Academy Salzburg is the first club in the history of the Porsche Football Cup to win the title for a second time. The Austrians first achieved the feat in 2023 – also after overcoming VfB Stuttgart.
Previously, the two semifinals proved to be nail-biters as both encounters went to a thrilling penalty shootout after late equalisers left the matches all-square. The emotions could not only be felt on the pitch but also in the stands as the frenetic crowd cheered every goal. In the end VfB Stuttgart narrowly defeated VfL Wolfsburg and Red Bull Football Academy Salzburg scraped past title holders Barcelona.
In the third-place play-off, VfL Wolfsburg came out on top against last year’s winners from Spain 4-3 on penalties after the match had remained goalless up until the final whistle. Stuttgarter Kickers defeated Erzgebirge Aue 3-0 after an impressive team performance to finish fifth. In the play-off for seventh place, Borussia Mönchengladbach had to battle hard for a 2-0 victory against Bayern Munich’s U-14s.
Team spirit, fairness and respect
In front of the large number of spectators in the stadium and in watching the SPORT1 channel’s live transmission, the teams left everything on the pitch in their efforts to win the tournament. Numerous members of Porsche AG’s Executive Board were present in the previous days as well as at the final. “I’d like to warmly congratulate this year’s tournament winners, Red Bull Football Academy Salzburg. The other teams can also be proud of their performances. Especially pleasing for me is the fellowship amongst the teams and the fair matches. Values like team spirit, fairness and respect are at the core of the Porsche Youth Development Programme,” says Dr. Jochen Breckner, Member of the Executive Board Sales and Marketing at Porsche AG. He is also the programme’s patron.
The Porsche Brand Ambassador Sami Khedira, who handed over the prize for the runners-up, was visibly impressed by the excellent performances of the teams: “We’ve witnessed outstanding junior football and an equally super exciting final. It means we’ve been able to top last year’s tournament, which isn’t easy. It’s also highlighted by the spectator interest,” says Sami Khedira when looking back at the event. “VfB was once again a fantastic host and I’m already looking forward to the coming year.”
Special performances and fair play are honoured
For the last five years, the Porsche Football Cup has been a fixture within the Porsche Youth Development Programme “Turbo for Talents” whereby the sports car manufacturer fosters the sporting and personal development of young talents in sport. Alongside the top-placed sides, other players and teams were also honoured for their exceptional performances and fair play on the pitch:
Tournament’s best goalkeeper: Nick Maier (VfB Stuttgart)
Tournament’s best player: Kenny Vestjens (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
Tournament’s top goal scorer: Mattia Pio De Simei (Stuttgarter Kickers) with four goals.
Fair Play Award: FC Bayern Munich
Goals for a good cause
As is tradition in other sports, Porsche once again donated 400 euro at the tournament for every goal scored as a part of the “Goals for Charity” fundraiser. The sum which amounted to 15,600 euro thanks to the 39 goals was rounded up by the sports car manufacturer to 30,000 euro and will go to the “Stiftung OlympiaNachwuchs Baden-Württemberg”.
The foundation is committed to the sustained support of up-and-coming sportsmen and women and accompanies young athletes on their paths to the Olympic Games. A major concern is the combining of elite sport with an academic education or vocational training. Ever since it was founded in 2000, the foundation has supported over 500 talents.
“Alongside exciting and fair sport, this tournament is all about the social good. It has always been something very close to the heart of Porsche,” says Albrecht Reimold, Member of the Executive Board Production and Logistics at Porsche AG. “Since the premier five years ago, the ‘Goals for Charity' fundraise has been a fixture at the junior tournament. We thus set an example for societal commitment in sport. This year, we’re very pleased to be able to support the “Stiftung OlympiaNachwuchs Baden-Württemberg”.
Albrecht Reimold ceremoniously handed over the cheque to Kristin Redanz, the director of the Stiftung OlympiaNachwuchs Baden-Württemberg and to its patron, Velten Schneider, the 3000-metre steeplechaser who competed at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
A wide range of side events for players and visitors
The start of the tournament week was formed by the CSR initiative “Talents Hand in Hand” whereby the competing teams absolved a training session with the so-called “Bunt kickt gut” charitable initiative. The drawing of the groups featuring football World Cup winner Sami Khedira combined with following meal and a private tour of the Porsche Museum was also a highlight over the weekend for many.
About 1,000 visitors had already made their way to VfB’s training grounds for Saturday’s group matches. In addition to lots of action on the pitch, awaiting them over the two days was a wide-ranging programme of side events. It included an exhibition of sports cars and diverse activities organised in particular by the Porsche Youth Development Programme’s partners, the Porsche Basketball Academy and the Bietigheim Steelers as well as the Stiftung OlympiaNachwuchs. VfB’s mascot “Fritzle” was also the source of much amusement over the weekend.
Eva Lys takes on Sami Khedira
Sporting prowess was also shown away from the pitch as Eva Lys, the German tennis star and Porsche Friend visited the club’s headquarters on finals day and took on the Porsche Brand Ambassador Sami Khedira in a light-hearted contest on the goal target wall. She then handed over the prize to the third-placed team at the victory ceremony.
Match results Sunday, 7 September
1st semifinal: Barcelona v Red Bull Football Academy Salzburg 4-6 on penalties (2-2)
2nd semifinal: VfL Wolfsburg v VfB Stuttgart 5-6 on penalties (1-1)
7th place play-off: Borussia Mönchengladbach v Bayern Munich 2-0
5th place play-off: Stuttgarter Kickers v Erzgebirge Aue 3-0
3rd place play-off: Barcelona v VfL Wolfsburg 3-4 on penalties (0-0)
Final: Red Bull Football Academy Salzburg v VfB Stuttgart 1-0
2025 Porsche Football Cup – final ranking
1. Red Bull Football Academy Salzburg
2. VfB Stuttgart
3. VfL Wolfsburg
4. FC Barcelona
5. Stuttgarter Kickers
6. FC Erzgebirge Aue
7. Borussia Mönchengladbach
8. FC Bayern Munich
“Turbo for Talents” – the Porsche Youth Development Programme
Porsche takes its societal responsibility seriously and invests specifically in the future via the Porsche Youth Development Programme. Under the motto “Turbo for Talents”, Porsche commits itself to helping youngsters in a variety of sports. In football, there are partnerships with Stuttgarter Kickers, the Red Bull Football Academy, Borussia Mönchengladbach, VfB Stuttgart and Erzgebirge Aue. In the sport of ice-hockey, Porsche helps foster juniors at the Bietigheim Steelers club. In basketball, Porsche lends its name to the Ludwigsburg Porsche Basketball Academy (BBA) – the elite training centre for the MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg club. The commitment is not just about supporting high-quality sports coaching but also developing young people socially and personally. Through its “Talents Hand in Hand” initiative, Porsche, together with its partner clubs and social institutions, also conveys values like tolerance, passion and respect to young people. It also promotes the embracing of topics like inclusion, environmental awareness and health. The famous patron of the Youth Development Programme is the football World Cup winner Sami Khedira. Information about the highly diverse programme can be found at www.turbofürtalente.de.
