Hearts Honoured To Take Part In Christmas Truce Tournament

Last updated : 04 December 2014 By Ed_ScottishFitba

Next week will see teams from Hearts, Liverpool and Chelsea compete in the annual Christmas Truce Tournament. The fourth edition of the U12 competition, which commemorates the 1914 Christmas Truce football game during World War One, will take place in Ypres from December 12-14 on an artificial pitch donated by the Premier League.

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Borussia Monchengladbach are defending the title they won in 2012 and 2013, while fellow Germans Schalke also take part alongside Anderlecht and Club Brugge of Belgium. France's Valenciennes and Paris St Germain complete the 10-team line-up along with Austrian side Rapid Vienna. The inclusion of Hearts, on the centenary of the original game, has particular significance given 16 of the club's first-team players signed up to fight in World War One. Seven never returned.

Hearts Academy manager Roger Arnott said: "It will be an absolute honour to become the first Scottish team to play in the Christmas Truce Tournament. The Heart of Midlothian players will wear their strips with pride at such a prestigious event, which not only focuses on football but more importantly incorporates the historical and cultural significance of what happened 100 years ago. The sacrifice made by so many Heart of Midlothian players - and thousands of others - in the First World War should never be forgotten and events such as this will help ensure their legacy will live on. Lest we forget."