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Academy commemorate Christmas Truce

Arsenal Under-12s took part in the Premier League’s Christmas Truce National Tournament in Belgium this weekend.

The competition, which saw all 20 Premier League clubs represented, marked the centenary of the World War One Christmas truce football matches of 1914, when British and German soldiers played football in the no-man's land between their trenches.

The Gunners finished the tournament in ninth place, with victories over Manchester United, Crystal Palace, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur.

Away from the football, the players and coaching staff from all 20 Premier League clubs attended a special centenary ceremony on Friday evening, with one player from each club laying a wreath to remember those that had lost their lives during the Great War.

The Premier League has held the competition in Ypres since 2011, and in December 2013 committed to building a floodlit third-generation pitch in the town. The new 'Christmas Truce Pitch' was officially opened on Friday by Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore and Jan Durnez, the Mayor of Ypres, in time to host this year's tournament.

The tournament formed part of 'Football Remembers', a collaboration between the Premier League, The FA, the Football League and the British Council.

Two academy players also helped record a new version of ‘All Together Now’ to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Christmas Truce football match.