Football legend Kenny Dalglish has opened Scotland's first regional football centre.
The £15.7 million facility at Toryglen in Glasgow has been designed to meet the needs of Scotland's national squads and top football teams.
It features a FIFA standard full size synthetic pitch - the first of its kind in Scotland, as well as associated facilities.
Schools, local youth teams and development squads will be able to use the new centre, which also has a natural grass pitch and three outdoor pitches.
The former Celtic and Scotland striker met young players taking part in the Glasgow City Cup International Youth Tournament on Friday and opened the competition by tossing a commemorative coin.
Mr Dalglish said he hoped the new facilities would help create a strong Scottish side in the future.
He said: "To produce the best players you have to have the best facilities and the boys and girls in Glasgow certainly have those with the opening of this centre. I wish I had the opportunity to play in a place like this when I was growing up in the east end of Glasgow."
The new centre was funded by Glasgow City Council with support from the Scottish Government, sportscotland and Landtrust.
Steven Purcell, leader of Glasgow City Council, said the town was "rightly proud" of the new centre.
"The opening of this centre is a first for Glasgow and indeed Scotland. The council's investment in Toryglen is a clear indicator of our determination to provide world-class sporting venues in the city as we move towards the Commonwealth Games in 2014."
Louise Martin CBE, chair of sportscotland, said: "We hope these fabulous surroundings will encourage more young people to get active and help nurture our football stars of tomorrow."
