MACCABI Futsal’s open side has returned from Portugal, where they pitted themselves against the cream of the country’s professional club teams.

The two-week tour saw the side take on Benfica and Sporting Lisbon, in front of capacity crowds, against players who play futsal for a living.

The side competed in a round-robin tournament to launch a new stadium on Azores Island before they headed to Guarda City in the country’s north, to participate in the Gold Cup.

Maccabi Futsal president John Myers heralded the tour as an “unbelievable life experience for everyone involved”.

While the difference in class was inevitable against players that train eight times a week in a lucrative, professional league, the tour was designed to lay the platform for the side’s preparation for next year’s Maccabiah tournament.

With seven of the 12 players under 19 years of age, Myers was delighted with the strides made by the youthful squad, who revelled in the professional surrounds.

“The huge positive was the emergence of the young talent pool that we have now, which I think gives us a really good chance to make a serious foray in the latter stages of Maccabiah,” Myers said.

“We lived and breathed as professionals. You find yourself becoming professionals. In fairness, the team acted and behaved professionally at all times. We were a credit to Maccabi and Australian futsal.”

Myers said the team was already reaping benefits from the trip. Last week’s 6-1 shellacking of the Westerly Crusaders in the Futsal NSW Winter Super League was against a side that defeated Maccabi in the grand final two seasons ago.

Paul Meltz, Andy Kanchik and Adam Friedman are now mainstays in the side, with Myers lauding their improvement over the past few months where they had developed into “harder, cleverer players”.

The team was coached by Futsalroo captain Simon Keith, who goaded the best out of the players with his training and preparation methods.

Myers also praised Doron Pozniak, the skipper during the tour, and said he had matured into a leader of the “top draw” and enjoyed the privilege of wearing Keith’s Australian captain’s armband throughout the tournament.

While the team returned “battle-hardened” and enjoyed the benefits of “superb team camaraderie”, Myers said the tour’s success would have a ripple effect throughout the community.

He anticipated the futsal club would grow from 120 to 200 participants and he has received a “phenomenal” response to Maccabiah nominations.

“These guys are spreading the gospel of futsal at the moment,” he said.