Contra Company Team has won the international Prague’s Barrel football tournament. Between 12 and 15 June, Contra played a number of company football teams from Europe.

The tournament for amateur football teams was the 16th championship, and was hosted by Prague. This year, twenty-four sides from fifteen European countries entered for the competition. Many of the teams had already attended the tournament several times. And our side made its first appearance, was the only team from Poland – and won!

In the group phase, Contra demolished Germany’s WTN six-nil. Next, the Polish team faced the Czech Zachranna Sluzba Praha which was defeated four-one. Finally, our boys were to play last year’s team number four, Diamond Exchange from Israel. The game ended in a nil-nil tie which sent Contra to the next round.

The next day, we beat CIS Executive Committee from Belarus two-nil. The toughest and most exciting match was against Bik Maisons from Belgium, last year’s champion. The final result remained unclear till the penalty shout-out which secured Contra the final game.

There, Contra took on Italy’s Café Vergnano 1882. The match was a thrilling one. Even though the Italians fought tooth and nail till the end, we managed to take advantage of some of their mistakes. During the game the referee booked a few players. The match ended in our victory four-one, and Prague’s Barrel went to Contra!

The stay in Prague was not only about football. In their leisure time, the players had meals together and did sight-seeing. In the evening, the competition turned into an international feast. On the third day, the tournament’s results were formally announced. As the tournament’s champion, FC Contra was presented the main prize – 20 litre beer barrel.

Contra’s win came as a great surprise, but made us enthralled. After the Polish national football team had failed in Euro 2008, FC Contra fared much better.