FIFA.com
FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development Arsène Wenger has announced the launch of a groundbreaking talent development programme that will enable member associations to optimise their technical structures, establish sustainable and long-term scouting schemes and, ultimately, reduce the gap at the top of the game.
“We are launching the FIFA Talent Development Programme to ensure that every talent gets a chance. That goal is very ambitious but we are highly motivated and focused. Nowadays, information can be made available and used all over the world within seconds. It’s a huge chance,” said Wenger during a five-day FIFA Technical Development Workshop that concluded yesterday in Doha with the participation of over 100 experts from confederations and member associations.
“The difference in the level of play between Europe and the rest of the world has become bigger. In many countries, the focus of the association is mainly on the senior national team, but this national team is always the consequence of football development across the country. We need more youth competitions to identify talent, offer them a pathway and develop coaching,” added Wenger.
Through FIFA’s new Talent Development Programme, from this year, all 211 member associations will be entitled to benefit from a FIFA assessment of the various areas of their high-performance ecosystem in both men’s and women’s football, including all national teams, domestic leagues, scouting projects and academies.
Following the assessment performed by FIFA’s experts, a report will be produced for each of the member associations involved, thus benchmarking their technical ecosystem against global standards. Based on the reports, FIFA will implement tailor-made technical programmes in cooperation with the member associations from 2021.
“Sustainable development is a long-term approach and requires dedication, confidence and patience. Within the next six to eight months, we will have a good overview of what is needed everywhere in both men’s and women’s football, and then we will respond both online and offline with a team of experts to help develop football to the highest level and to have a lasting impact,” concluded Wenger.