The Under-12 squad, comprising 10 boys from Karaikudi and five from Chennai, travelled to Singapore to take part in the SingaCup. MYFA is run by the AMM Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Murugappa Group.

The tournament gave the young players a taste of football in different conditions, with matches played on both natural grass at the Singapore Indian Association and artificial turf at the Rainforest Sports Hub. They also had the backing of the Karaikudi community in Singapore, whose members turned up in numbers to cheer the team.

MYFA boys began tehir campaign against Fuerza FC of the Philippines but went down in their opening match. The boys responded well in their next outing against Singapore's Amalgamate, registering a hard-fought 1-0 victory. A penalty proved decisive as MYFA secured their first win of the tournament.

The third match against Malaysia's TSS Darul Ehsan proved a difficult outing, with MYFA suffering a 6-0 defeat. But the youngsters bounced back in the qualifier against Indonesia's Garuda Muda, scoring within the first five minutes and pushing their opponents throughout the contest.

In a closely fought encounter, Garuda Muda eventually prevailed 3-2, ending MYFA's hopes of reaching the semi-finals. MYFA had come agonisingly close, but the campaign offered the boys a valuable introduction to competitive football beyond their familiar surroundings.

There was plenty to look forward to away from the pitch as well. The youngsters explored Singapore during their stay, visiting popular attractions, including Sentosa and Universal Studios, giving them an opportunity to unwind after an eventful tournament.

A visit to the Asia Pacific office of Borussia Dortmund was another highlight. MYFA has been associated with the German club since 2023 through a partnership aimed at developing football at the grassroots level. Suresh Letchmanan, Managing Director of BVB Asia Pacific, interacted with the boys and spoke about the club, the demands of professional football and what it takes to pursue a career in the sport.