Published March 31st, 2026
BY CHOICE MUIVAH
A sophomore at Carmel High School will be playing at the 2026 Mediterranean International Cup in Costa Brava, Spain, and London, England, an annual, invite-only competition that will feature over 300 teams from around the world.
After attending the soccer clinic in Santa Clara, McIntyre was scouted from his National Collegiate Scouting Association profile to participate in the MIC. courtesy of BRAYDEN MCINTYRE
“I’m very excited for this opportunity to compete and thrilled to play in a different environment,” says Brayden McIntyre, a defensive winger for the CHS varsity soccer team and a player for Bay Area Surf, a year-round soccer club. “I’m grateful for every chance I get and for everyone who’s helped me on the way.”
This will mark the 24th year of the MICFootball competition, an annual international tournament for youth soccer players ages 12-19. The tournament, which will span March 31 to April 5 in Costa Brava for the main competition and April 5 to April 14 for a subset leg in London, pits teams against each other in brackets and is open to spectators, as well as being available to watch live on Youtube and MICFootball TV. Due to the many teams participating, the event will be spread out between London and across Costa Brava.
“With his work ethic, you can tell he’s going to go very far,” says Simon Dawkins, technical director for the Monterey Bay Football Club and retired professional soccer player who played for the Jamaican National Football Team.
McIntyre will be participating in the tournament in division U16, where he and 18 other selected players–a majority from the San Jose area–will form a team to represent California.
The team began group training in early March and will travel together to the Mediterranean, where the tournament will be held in two separate strings.
Having previously played for Monterey Surf, McIntyre has also played for Bay Area Surf, where he currently plays. courtesy of BRAYDEN MCINTYRE
McIntyre’s talent was noticed at Santa Clara Soccer Pro Academy clinic in September, and he was officially notified in December that he had been scouted to play as a winger for the team.
“Brayden is an incredibly hard worker,” says Scott Hirschfield, CHS soccer coach. “He’s got a tremendous work ethic, always wanting to improve his game.”
As a dedicated soccer player, McIntyre has played varsity soccer at CHS for two seasons and club soccer since seventh grade. Starting at 5 years old, McIntyre grew his passion for soccer and played mostly as a winger or center back, specializing in defense.
“What really sets him apart is how his artistic skills translate into his creativity on the field,” says sophomore striker Miro Balaban, McIntyre’s teammate on the CHS varsity soccer team.
MICFootball prefers to prioritize honing players skills over monetary rewards, but with the many college scouts and coaches watching, McIntyre hopes that the tournament will help to open more doors that will help further improve his skill.
As he has been playing soccer for the majority of his life, Brayden McIntyre aims to be able to continue to play soccer at the college level and hopes to even play professionally one day.
