Rangers commitment to youth development is once again on display this month, with the club’s Under-16s competing at the prestigious Alkass International Cup in Doha, Qatar.
The tournament, which features some of the world’s leading academies, offers young Gers players a valuable opportunity to test themselves against elite opposition in a truly global setting.
The Alkass Cup holds special significance for Rangers. The club famously lifted the trophy in 2019 after a dramatic penalty shootout victory over AS Roma, and following a four-year absence, returned to the competition last year.
That campaign ended with a podium finish, highlighted by a convincing 4-1 victory over Seattle Sounders, despite missing out on the final after a 3-1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
This year, Rangers have been placed in Group A alongside Aspire Academy of Qatar, Mohammed VI Football Academy of Morocco, and Étoile Sportive du Sahel of Tunisia. The standard of opposition remains high, with the adjacent group featuring Barcelona, PSG, Kashiwa Reysol of Japan and Vietnam’s PVF Football Academy.
The young Gers began their campaign with a goalless draw against Étoile Sportive du Sahel. While the result ensured Rangers opened their group stage with a point, there was a sense that more could have been taken from the match.
Attacking midfielder Kyle Glasgow was named Best Player on the day, but remained focused on the collective performance rather than individual recognition.
“Look, it's always nice picking up an individual reward, but for me it's more focus on the team,” Glasgow said.
“Even though coming away with a man of the match, it's still disappointing because I would have liked to get off to a good start and win that game.”
Glasgow admitted the occasion may have played a part in the team’s performance.
“I think the first game of a tournament is always quite frantic, there’s a bit of nerves, but we had to control the game, and I don't think we did that,” he explained.
“That’s why we drew 0-0, but we can look back at the game, learn from the mistakes and move on.”
Despite the frustration, the young midfielder was quick to praise the opposition.
“They had pace, they had fight, they had spirit. No discredit to them, but we should have done better. We will do better in the next game.”
Glasgow’s performances have not gone unnoticed at Ibrox. Along with teammate Ashton Scally, he had been identified by first-team head coach Danny Rohl as a potential option for Rangers recent Scottish Cup tie against Annan Athletic - which a much changed side won 5-0.
However, SFA regulations prevented Under-16 players from featuring in senior cup competitions.
“It was a shame it was not allowed to take Kyle and Ashton as well,” Rohl said.
“They could use this opportunity to play, but there are some rules.”
The Rangers boss was keen to stress how highly both players are rated within the club.
“These are high-potential players. We like them, we want to keep them, very high-potential players for us for the future.”
Both Glasgow and Scally have already gained experience with Rangers B in the Scottish Challenge Cup this season, a competition that allows young players to test themselves against senior opposition – another key step in the club’s development pathway.
Rangers youth success is not limited to the Under-16s. The club’s Under-14s have also been gaining valuable experience abroad, with academy coach Kieran Reilly praising a recent trip that included matches against Chelsea, Hoffenheim and PSV.
“A fantastic weekend away with the U14s playing against top European clubs,” Reilly said. “The indoor 5v5 format created numerous 1v1 and overload situations – a great development tool for young players.”
From Qatar to Europe, Rangers academy continues to provide young talent with elite-level experiences. The focus remains firmly on long-term development, ensuring the next generation of Gers are equipped with the technical, mental and competitive tools needed to succeed at the highest level.