Everton FC to defend Dr Pepper Dallas Cup title

DALLAS, Texas (Via Dr Pepper Dallas Cup) – The Dr Pepper Dallas Cup, the oldest and most prestigious international youth soccer tournament in the United States, has announced the return of English club Everton FC to the elite Gordon Jago Super Group. Everton will return looking to win their second consecutive iconic “Boot and Ball” at Dr Pepper XXXVIII, which will be held April 9-16, 2017. Next spring will mark the club’s third straight Dallas Cup appearance and their fifth appearance overall.

In March of this year, Everton defeated fellow English side Fulham in the Gordon Jago Super Group final to claim their first Dr Pepper Dallas Cup championship. Delial Brewster scored two goals in the match on the way to a 2-1 victory. Brewster, along with teammates James Yates and Nathan Broadhead, among others, will look to compete for the senior team in the coming years as they make their way through the ranks of what is considered one of the premier developmental academies in England. Two of their esteemed graduates, English World Cup players Wayne Rooney and Ross Barkley, appeared with Everton in the 1999 and 2012 Dallas Cup tournaments, respectively.

The Merseyside club will attempt to become the fifth club to win the Gordon Jago Super Group in consecutive years, and the first since 2004-05. Only Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid and Brazilian clubs SC Corinthians, Clube Atletico Paranaense, and EC Vitoria have accomplished this feat.
Everton’s upcoming trip to Dallas continues the long-standing relationship between the prestigious tournament and the English Premier League. Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Manchester City are among the Premier League teams that have competed in past Dallas Cups. Everton will look to become the sixth Super Group champion from England.

Also returning to the 2017 tournament to defend their title is current U15 Champion Eintracht Frankfurt, which earned their third U15 crown since 2010 by defeating Tigres in the final this year, 4-0. Eintracht Frankfurt outscored their opponents 30-5 on the way to the championship. It is the Bundesliga club’s fourth overall Dallas Cup title, previously winning the 2011 Super Group and the 2010 and 2015 U15 titles. Eintracht Frankfurt is seeking to become the first U15 team to win three consecutive championships.