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Soccer News of Sunday, 21 January 2007

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Ghana get Toulon invite

The national under-20 team of Ghana has been invited to take part in this year's Toulon Festival of Football in France.

The Black Satellites will meet seven other teams from around the world for the tournament.

The eight teams have been split into two groups of four of the tournament which will be held from 31 May - 9 June.

The Satellites have been drawn in Group B and take on Japan, Holland and Portugal.

Group A consists of the hosts, France, Ivory Coast, Germany and China

The group winners and runners-up advance to the semi-final.

Even though many African countries, including Ghana, have participated in one of the previous tournaments, they failed to make meaningful impact on the competition which is telecasted live throughout Europe by the pan- European television station Eurosport.

The Toulon Festival regularly attracts the best youth players and youth teams in the world.

From 1989 - 1997, all five eventual World Youth Championship winners played in the Toulon Festival.

The list of players that have stepped up to the international stage at this tournament is no less staggering and includes Zinedine Zidane (1991), David Beckham (1995, 1996), Thierry Henry (1997), Pablo Aimar (1996), Alan Shearer (1991), Fabien Barthez (1991) and many more.

Group A: Ivory Coast France Germany China

Group B: Ghana Japan Holland Portugal