Diego Martin-based Touches football team will be hoping to register a third straight lien on the regional Guinness Street Football Challenge title by a T&T when the 2015 edition of the tournament kicks off today at the Waterfront, Kingston Jamaica
Two years ago, Hills Have Eyes captured the title while last year Chelsea won it on home soil at the Jean Pierre Complex. Today, Touches which includes former national youth players Micah Lewis, Keeron Benito and Kareem Freitas as well as Sayid Freitas and Kenaz Williams in its line-up will be out to add its name to that prestigious group.
Touches was crowned T&T champions after edging pre-tournament favourites Jr Mafia 1-0 in the final at Mucurapo two weeks ago thanks to a strike from Makesi Lewis having dispatched Tobago champions Drifterz Answer Back 2-0 in the semifinals. This after they qualified for the national playoffs as North West Zone runner-up behind Basic.
While their main objective will be to bring the trophy back to T&T and claim the US$6,000, the members of Touches will have a chance to interact with Guinness "Made of More" Ambassador and former France international defender Marcel Desailly, who won the 1998 FIFA World Cup and 2000 European Championship, as well as the 2001 Confederations Cup.
He also enjoyed a very successful club career in Europe, winning the European Champions League with French club Marseille in 1993 and Italians AC Milan a year later while he also captained England's Chelsea FC to FA Cup glory in 2000.
Desailly, was also included in 2004 as one of the world's greatest living players on the 'FIFA 100' list of notable footballers, compiled by Brazilian football legend, Pele and will be joined by five times Guinness World Record Holder and world renowned professional football freestyler, Daniel Cutting.
Now in its fifth year, the Guinness Street Football Challenge represents a fusion of the passion for football and entertainment at the grass-roots level, where consumers across the Caribbean are given a chance to show in true Guinness style, how they are 'Made of More'.
Overall, ten regional champions will vie for the coveted title of Guinness Street Football champion, inclusive of T&T, Barbados, Guyana, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, Dominica, St. Kitts, Aruba, newcomers Haiti and host Jamaica
In addition to Touches, Jamaican Champions Slash Dash FC is also among the favourites for the crown when the tournament concludes on Sunday, downtown Kingston.