Arsene Wenger is heading up a new £160million initiative which will see FIFA talent coaches spend two years developing youth players in countries where the pathway into professional football is lacking.
Wenger, the legendary former manager of Arsenal, says the ultimate aim of the FIFA Talent Coach Programme is to make football more competitive globally as they hope it will give youngsters the chance to forge a career.
The initiative will see 25 of FIFA's member associations receive a 'talent coach' who, over a two-year period, will work to implement a strategy for the long-term development for their starlets. The aim is for each association to have at least one centre of excellence that can act as a base for their most promising players by 2026.
Wenger, who is FIFA's chief of global football development, said: 'We want to develop elite players in countries where there is potential for further development. There are many children in the world who don't get the chance to develop their talent, and the quality of our work can change this.'
Patricia Gonzalez, FIFA's team lead of the talent coaches, added: 'The majority of talent coaches will work in countries where the programme can have more of an impact. This player age group – 12-15 – is where a player's brain has a very high plasticity. It's a crucial stage for their development if they hope to become professional players of the future.'
The programme has been piloted over the last six months in Kyrgyz Republic, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Benin, South Africa, Fiji and Finland.
Wenger continued: 'Arsenal is known for giving players a chance, but I knew that was not the case everywhere. One of my worries was always to give people who deserve it, a chance in life.
'When I joined FIFA, we analysed football around the world, and realised that the main deficit in football is education, in many, many countries. Look at the FIFA Women's World Cup. It shows you how quickly women's football has developed at the top level, and what is possible. If you love football, you don't just love it at the elite male level.
'After my competitive career, I had a chance to create a legacy for developing talented children. This doesn't make headlines, but that's not important. What is important is that we are efficient. That we help develop children between the ages of 12-16, to ultimately make football globally more competitive.'
Yaybdeknrz
1
thank u wanger
MUTABARUKS
3
Mr Wenger, thank you for the initiative. Every country needs expertise and a good support structure. Above all, to identify and develop talent, especially in our poor countries, is not so difficult, because you already have them crowded in one place. The other advantage is that, by providing a gateway to a better life, they come more determined and so much willing. Just sponsor all football settings by providing expertise, kits and refreshments as well as stipends and winning prizes for all types of football tournaments/leagues e.g. street football, 5 aside football, jnr and school leagues and competitions. Let every boy have a platform and chance to play football, at whatever level, by doing so discovering talent for future development.
wizzybbigstepper
2
From a great club now to the world… the only invisible 🏆🤩🔥
FahadAziz75
0
Wenger is god father of football.
Cawich22
0
yes belize needs help in this well black players dont all they want is weed and thief but there are mayority better players than black but they dont get a chance only weed smokers are allowed on national team or clubs and they talk about racism
BarcaChelArg
5
Congratulations Arsene Wenger for that great project 👏🤝🏼🔥 Now, explain why you look alike 🤔
E9604
5
I wish this can reach out to my country Zambia 🇿🇲.
Fetcimpstu
1
FIFA should make a decision on removing VAR,,,players value ,, players shouldn’t go beyond 100 million for 5 years and for the Champion league draw the Top team should be keep on different pots so other teams also have a chance to win the league cup and UCL
Sakalnoprt
3
it will be a good development, but FIFA should also work on amount of money tag on players, no player should be more than £50m . If the price of a player should rise above that it should be FIFA to review it may be biannually. because this over rating of some players that doesn't worth such amount by some clubs is about to kill football also.
Wucikopuz
1
coaching the whole world now