What is the UEFA Regions' Cup?
Wednesday 26 June 2019
Article summary
The UEFA Regions' Cup, is a unique amateur competition with nine different winners in its 11 editions.
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- Bavaria 2019 results
- #RegionsCup on Twitter and Facebook
The UEFA Regions' Cup is a unique amateur tournament that has been running for more than 20 years.
What is the UEFA Regions' Cup?
The UEFA Regions' Cup is a competition for players who have never featured at any professional level. Contested by the winners of national amateur tournaments – with the smallest countries fielding national amateur teams – it is a showcase for the wealth of talent that exists under the radar in European football.
Have players gone on from the UEFA Regions' Cup into professional football?
Quite a few, most notably Christoph Metzelder, who played in 1999 qualifying for Westphalia and three years later started the FIFA World Cup final for Germany. Bulgaria have also seen seven players go on from their amateur squads to play competitively at senior level for their country.
Italian sides have won three of the previous ten editions (Veneto the only multiple champions along with holders Dolny Śląsk of Poland) while there have been two successes for amateur teams from Spain. Five editions have been won by the hosts.
Hall of fame
Players with the most UEFA Regions' Cup appearances (including qualifying)
28:Ken Hoey (IRL: Republic of Ireland, Region 1, Leinster & Munster, Eastern Region, Region 2)
27: Ray Whelehan (IRL: Republic of Ireland, Region 1, Leinster & Munster)
26: Brendan O'Connell (IRL: Republic of Ireland, Region 1, Leinster & Munster, Eastern Region)
Players with the most UEFA Regions' Cup finals appearances
15: Ken Hoey (IRL: Region 1, Leinster & Munster, Eastern Region)
13: Brendan O'Connell (IRL: Republic of Ireland, Region 1, Leinster & Munster, Eastern Region)
11: Nikica Brujić (CRO: Zagreb)
Players with the most UEFA Regions' Cup final appearances
3= Ken Hoey (IRL: Region 1, Leinster & Munster, Eastern Region)
3= Brendan O'Connell (IRL: Republic of Ireland, Region 1, Leinster & Munster, Eatsern Region)
Players with the most UEFA Regions' Cup goals (including qualifying)
18: Željko Štulec (CRO: Zagreb)
9= Serhiy Chudak (UKR: Kahovka-Kzeso)
9= Javier Moreno (ESP: Madrid)
9= Aretas Gėgžna (LTU: Nevézis)
9= Zoltán Varga (HUN: Szabolcs Gabona Csoport)
9= James Walsh (IRL: Republic of Ireland, Region 1, Leinster & Munster)
Players with the most UEFA Regions' Cup finals goals
6: Zoltán Varga (HUN: Szabolcs Gabona Csoport)
5= Gabriel David (CZE: Central Moravia)
5= Roberto Puente (ESP, Castilla y León)
Finals top scorers
2019: Arif Ekin (GER: Bavaria) 3
2017: Roberto Puente (ESP, Castilla y León) 4
2015: Salim Uzun (TUR: Ankara) 4
2013: Franco Ballarini (ITA: Veneto) 4
2011: José Ferreira (POR: Braga) 3
2009: Aleksandr Gorbunov (RUS: Privolzhie) 4
2007: Admir Hanić (BIH: Tuzla Canton); Szymon Jaskułowski (POL: Dolny Śląsk); Javier Santos (POR: Aveiro) 2
2005: Ivan Todorov (BUL: South-West Sofia) 4
2003: Zoltán Varga (HUN: Szabolcs Gabona Csoport) 6
2001: Gabriel David (CZE: Central Moravia) 5
1999: Alain Borriero (ITA: Veneto); Javier Moreno (ESP: Madrid) 3