The final games of the Roman Berezovsky Prize tournament have begun in the Armavir region

ArmInfo. The final games of the Roman Berezovsky Prize tournament kicked off at the Sardarapat FC stadium in Armenia's Armavir region, bringing together 11 school teams from ten regions of Armenia and Yerevan.

According to the press service of the Russian House in Armenia, after passing the regional qualifying competitions, the young football players arrived to compete for the Republican Tournament Cup for the Armenian goalkeeper Roman Berezovsky Prize.

Before the start of the matches, Anastasia Kurbatova, Acting Head of the Rossotrudnichestvo Representative Office in Armenia, greeted the participants and coaches. She also read a welcome address from Vadim Fefilov, Head of the Representative Office and the initiator of the project along with brothers Alexander and Roman Berezovsky.

In his address, Fefilov recalled how the idea for the tournament emerged five years ago. It was conceived for boys from Armenia's border regions—to give them the opportunity to "play in a real tournament, prove themselves, and feel that big-time football is closer than it seems."

Over five years, the competition has grown to a national scale. Today, about three thousand children and more than 110 school teams from all over Armenia participate in the qualifying games annually.

Special guest Denis Glushakov, a Russian champion with Spartak Moscow, came to support the young footballers. and the best footballer of the 2016/17 season according to the Russian Football Union.

He noted the particular value of teams from all regions of Armenia participating in the tournament and expressed hope for the competition's continued development.

"The main thing is to enjoy the game, listen to the coaches, and don't be afraid to pursue your dreams!" the footballer addressed the boys.

Football Federation of Armenia representative Lala Yeritsyan and the head of the "Path of Kindness" NGO, Alexander Berezovsky, also addressed the participants. They wished the boys good luck in the upcoming games.

After the opening ceremony, the teams took to the field. The stadium will host the Round of 16 and quarterfinal matches today. The first day's program also includes a master class for the young participants by Denis Glushakov. The semifinals, the third-place match, and the final will take place on October 18.

The event is organized by Rossotrudnichestvo, the Football Federation of Armenia, and the "Path of Kindness" NGO.