More than just football – ICC 2025 was a wild adventure full of fair play and fun. Neither a full motorway closure nor a cancelled train connection could stop the IDOS team from stepping onto the sacred turf of Aachen’s Tivoli Stadium on time on 17 May 2025.
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With eight men, two women, and a healthy dose of team spirit, they entered the race for the International Cooperation Cup (ICC) – the traditional football tournament of German development cooperation.
Lessons Learned and Close Calls
The group stage was a real challenge: the very first match saw IDOS face the defending champions, Misereor. Despite a heroic defensive effort and a disciplined performance, IDOS conceded an unfortunate goal in the final minutes – 0:1.
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Against Deutsche Welle, the team once again showed fighting spirit, but luck was not on their side: another narrow 0:1 defeat. In the final group match against Help e.V., however, the tide turned – the skilful squad left no room for doubt and secured a well-deserved 5:0 victory.
A Comeback in the Consolation Round
In the consolation round, the IDOS team finally hit their stride. A tense, evenly matched game against BDKJ ended goalless. In the ensuing penalty shoot-out, our players showed nerves of steel and triumphed 3:2.
The semi-final against the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) was a nail-biter, narrowly lost 1:2. But the team’s tireless fighting spirit was ultimately rewarded: in the third-place play-off of the consolation round, IDOS left the German Adult Education Association with no chance, winning convincingly 3:0.
More Than Just Football
©IDOS
Even though the team didn’t make it to the top spots, the ICC 2025 was a resounding success for IDOS: team spirit, fair play, and plenty of fun were at the heart of it all. The entire tournament – including the journey to Aachen – was a wild adventure, and there’s a good chance it will happen again next year, especially as Misereor successfully defended their title in the final against GIZ Eschborn.
