Young players from Italy's TTT Club visit Niushou Mountain Cultural Tourism Zone in Nanjing. [Photo/jsxc.gov.cn]

A China-Italy youth soccer cultural exchange event concluded in Nanjing on March 25, bringing together young players from both countries for a program that combined sport, culture and friendship.

A 35-member delegation from the U17 and U19 squads of TTT Club, a well-known Italian youth soccer training institution based in Lazio, visited the city for the exchange.

TTT Club is certified at the highest level by the Italian Football Federation and has spent decades focusing on youth soccer development. In July 2025, it became one of the five wholly owned global youth training centers under the Juventus Football Club, further strengthening its position in central Italy's soccer landscape.

Visiting players and coaches buy souvenirs. [Photo/jsxc.gov.cn]

During their stay in Nanjing, the visiting players and coaches explored the Niushou Mountain Cultural Tourism Zone, where they experienced traditional Chinese culture through activities such as making gold foil cups.

A player tries his hand at making a gold foil cup. [Photo/jsxc.gov.cn]

"Nanjing's history and architecture are truly stunning. This has been a vivid and unforgettable lesson in Eastern culture," said club president Ivan D'Adamo.

The sports exchange also featured a youth soccer teaching match at the Jiangsu Football Sports Base in Jiangning district, where Chinese and Italian players took to the field in a lively and friendly atmosphere.

The event offered a valuable platform for young athletes from both countries to deepen mutual understanding, improve soccer skills and build lasting friendships through shared experiences on and off the pitch.

As soccer continues to serve as a bridge across cultures, the exchange highlighted Nanjing's growing role in promoting international youth sports and people-to-people ties.