For academy players in England, the FA Youth Cup is seen as the pinnacle of their time in the younger set-up.
Teams will often field their strongest possible sides, rather than rotate as they might in league competition, as they bid to win the top English prize on offer below senior level.
For many, the FA Youth Cup can be the gateway to stardom. Bobby Charlton, George Best, Terry Venables, Graeme Souness, Paul Gascoigne, Michael Carrick, Michael Owen, David Beckham and Ryan Giggs are among those to win the tournament, while more recent champions include Mason Mount, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Jesse Lingard, Paul Pogba and Nathan Ake.
Here's a look at the history of the FA Youth Cup, how the competition works and the players to look out for in this year's final.
What is the FA Youth Cup?
The FA Youth Cup, launched in 1952, was established as a means for talented young players leaving school who needed an easier route to break into professional football. At the time, many top clubs did not have the kind of organised youth set-up seen today.
In 2021-22, there were close to 400 entrants, beginning with a preliminary round. There were then four qualifying phases before the competition proper, which comprises six knockout rounds and then the semi-finals.
The final is a one-off match that will go to extra time and penalties if the scores are level.
Who is playing in the 2022 FA Youth Cup final, where and when does it take place and can I get tickets?
The 2022 FA Youth Cup final is between Manchester United and Nottingham Forest.
The game takes place on Wednesday, May 11 at Old Trafford at 19:30 BST. More than 50,000 tickets have been sold; these are priced at £1, with the proceeds going to the Manchester United Foundation.
Fans in the UK will also be able to watch the final on MUTV, United's in-house channel, or online through The FA Player or as part of a Paid Online Event (POE) on Facebook for 99p.
Which players can play in the FA Youth Cup?
The competition is open to players in the Under-18 age group, which for this season means players born between September 1, 2003 and August 31, 2006.
Similar to the FA Cup, Premier League and EFL Championship clubs enter the competition in the third round.
Which teams have won the FA Youth Cup in recent years?
Aston Villa are the holders of the trophy after they beat Liverpool 2-1 in last year's final. The 2019/20 tournament was won by Manchester City, with Liverpool winning the previous edition. Prior to that Chelsea, won the trophy five years in a row, back when the final was held over two legs as opposed to the current single-legged format.
Manchester United are the most successful team in the history of the competition, having won the trophy 10 times. They last won back in 2011.
| Team | FA Youth Cups won | Runners-up | Year of last win |
| Manchester United | 10 | 4 | 2011 |
| Chelsea | 9 | 4 | 2018 |
| Arsenal | 7 | 2 | 2009 |
| Liverpool | 4 | 4 | 2019 |
| Aston Villa | 4 | 3 | 2021 |
Who are the players to watch out for in this year's final?
Alejandro Garnacho has been on the bench for the Manchester United first team recently, with the 17-year-old wide player highly regarded at Old Trafford. He made his senior debut as a substitute in the 1-1 draw with Chelsea on April 28.
Forward Charlie McNeill, who was previously at Manchester City, is also talented. Like Garnacho, he scored five goals in United's run to the final.
United debut: ✅
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) April 28, 2022
A proud moment for Alejandro Garnacho and #MUAcademy 👏🇦🇷#MUFC | #MUNCHE pic.twitter.com/zVnvPZdAbx
Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, can call upon attacker Detlef Osong, who signed his first professional contract in January.
How did both teams reach the final?
United got to the final by beating Scunthorpe United, Reading, Everton, Leicester City and Wolves.
Forest's path to the final saw them overcome Bristol City, Peterborough United, Cambridge United, Blackburn Rovers and Chelsea.