HILLSDALE—This past summer, Alexandra Lambrinos, now an eighth-grader at George G. White Middle School, traveled to Gothenburg, Sweden and participated in the Gothia Cup, the world’s largest and most international soccer tournament, often referred to as the World Youth Cup.
Each year, approximately 1,700 teams from 80 nations take part in this tournament, which has a lavish, colorful opening ceremony similar to that of the Olympics.
There, at Ullevi Stadium before more than 60,000 spectators, Alexandra and her teammates had the honor of representing the United States by bearing the flag for their country in the Parade of Nations.
Playing up a year for her age bracket, says her family, Alexandra played on Team USA for FC New England with other 13- and 14-year-old girls selected from around the country. They competed alongside some of the most powerful soccer nations from every corner of the globe.
Of the 67 teams in the Girls 2008 U14 bracket, Team USA was one of eight to go undefeated — and not scored upon — in their group rounds.
Moreover, Team USA was the only team to have scored a goal against the team that prevailed over them, coming in fourth place out of a field of 67 teams.
During the school year Alexandra plays for Match Fit Academy in Denville, in Morris County.
Her mom, Laura Lambrinos, told Pascack Press on Sept. 13, “We do a bit of driving, but it’s fun.”
Alexandra, who plays defense, and on the trip also saw Denmark, told Pascack Press, “It was an amazing experience to be there. I met incredible people from all over the United States and we clicked together and played incredible soccer while we were there.”
She said the pandemic “definitely threw a curve ball in” to her practices, “but I started to do a lot of training in my garage, which was great.”
Asked what advice she might have for others aiming to excel in school and in additional challenges, she said, “Always stay tough. There’s always a balance between everything, and as long as you’re doing what you love in school and outside of school then you will always be happy and have a perfect balance of everything.”