La Liga will launch a football academy in the UAE in September, marking the first time the organisation has set up such an initiative outside its traditional base in Spain.
The programme, which will use three venues in Dubai and one in Abu Dhabi, aims to provide an opportunity for UAE-based players to be scouted to play professional football either nationally or internationally. It will be open to children aged 5 to 16, who will be mentored by Uefa Pro-Level certified La Liga coaches. Month-long summer camps in Spain will also be provided, free of charge, where players will play friendlies against youth teams from clubs in the Primera Liga, the top tier of Spanish football, and potentially be scouted.
“We’re very proud of this,” said Fernando Sanz, the former Real Madrid defender who now acts as La Liga’s general director for Mena and head of their International Sports Projects. “The institutions here, both private and public, push a lot in terms of football and in the development of youth, so we feel the UAE is the best place to start this new programme.
“The goal is to give all this country’s youth the opportunity to develop through sports and, of course, football. La Liga will provide the right coaches and give the opportunity for La Liga scouts to come here and see if some of the players can play with their clubs.”
The academy will initially cater for up to 800 children across its four venues, although La Liga expect that number to increase with the need to expand to more locations. At present, they will be based in Dubai at Safa Community School, Emirates English Speaking School and Gems Nations Academy, while in Abu Dhabi they have chosen British School Al Khubairat. Already, there are provisions for another site in the capital.
The initiative also offers the chance to secure full football scholarships at leading universities in the United States and Europe. Already, La Liga has contacted with 44 Division One colleges in America.
“The purpose of the La Liga Academy is to develop the skills of the youth here in the UAE so they are able to play professional football at a high level,” said Hussein Mrad, the CEO of Inspiratus, La Liga’s local support agency. “La Liga are bringing the highest standard of football through a very high level of coaches, all of them Uefa certified, every single one of them an ex-coach at La Liga and also a professional scout, so they can recognise the talent and build on it.”
La Liga already boasts significant links with the UAE dating back to 2013, when it opened offices in Dubai – its first permanent base outside Spain. In 2015, the organisation signed a three-year agreement with the Pro League Committee, its UAE equivalent, and last year launched its inaugural High Performance Centre in Dubai. It also has a partnership with Al Ahli, the reigning UAE champions.
jmcauley@thenational.ae
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