Global Fútbol

"The VCF Academy is a key aspect of Valencia CF's project." These are the words of the club president Anil Murthy stressing the importance of training young talent based on values and under a specific working method. In this regard, the philosophy of Valencia CF emphasises that players should continue with their academic education as they develop as footballers, because the club is under no illusions that they are people first and footballers second.

"We're proud of our commitment to the academy. In the past, it has always produced great players and it's our responsibility to make the most of it by placing the best tools, facilities and means at their disposal," he remarks. "This commitment not only provides us with resources on a sporting level, it also reinforces our identity as a club based on our roots."

An internationally renowned social project

Regarding the sporting values of Valencia CF, the president notes that "they are well-known internationally" and also "we want them to be the values of solidarity which are taught, for example, in the #AcademyInCommunity project that has been internationally recognised by the European Clubs Association (ECA)". This initiative, recognised by the European body, consisted of the VCF Academy teams carrying out social actions in collaboration with the VCF Foundation.

The work consisted of visiting an animal welfare organisation, Protector de Animales de Valencia, collaborating with the food bank on the Gran Recogida collection campaign and distributing the food at Mestalla, training with the A-Ball wheelchair football team of the VCF Association of Footballers, video chats at the height of the pandemic with elderly fans, collecting toys at Christmas for the 'Score a goal against poverty' campaign, and meeting with the La Coma Drums and Bugles Band.

At the ECA General Assembly on 6 and 7 September we will discover whether the VCF Academy takes home the international ECA Youth Football Award 2021, where it will be competing against other clubs such as Portugal's Sporting CP, Scotland's Aberdeen FC and Bulgaria's PFC Ludogorets.

The general manager of the VCF Academy, Sean Bai, is "very grateful" for the nomination and believes that it will encourage the teams and sponsors to continue working in the same vein. "This is also important for raising awareness about social causes and for our sponsors who have been supporting us."

For the VCF Academy and Valencia CF, being selected by the ECA recognises the work carried out on this project and also recognises the academy's interest in the comprehensive education of its players. These kinds of actions allow the players to see other situations beyond football and also help them to understand the social responsibility they have as players and Valencia CF as a club to help groups who are worse off than them.

The academy staff are attentive to every detail on a daily basis, and the human factor and personal relationships are fundamental. In fact, not only do they seek out the best talent, but they also commit to helping the players to overcome their limits and improve. "From the outside, it's a common mistake to think that youth football only consists of recruiting young talent," assures Bai.

At the brand level, the VCF Academy is a fundamental pillar of the club

The people at the club are proud of the record of the academy in training young footballers. In fact, and according to the two latest CIES Football Observatory reports, the VCF Academy is one of the five best in Europe at training players to elite level from the five major European leagues.

Valencia CF is a club which is committed to nourishing the talent of young people. The working method of the VCF Academy has produced objective results which can be seen in the large number of players who reach elite level, whether playing for the first team or at other clubs in the Premier League, the Bundesliga, Serie A and, of course, in LaLiga.

"Football fans from all over the world are familiar with the Valencia CF Academy and it's important to continue expanding awareness of our academy's brand and our successes," adds the general manager of the VCF Academy.

However, in addition to football, attention is also paid to comprehensive education and the youngsters receive all of the assistance that they need. It is a club which trains footballers, which gives them opportunities and which generates the context for the players to develop on a personal level. "We believe their education provides them with the optimal growth and maturity," says Bai.

Investment in human capital and infrastructure

The VCF Academy seeks growth which is sustainable. This season, the Paterna Training Ground enters the 30th year since its inauguration. During this time, over 100 players have made their official debuts with the first team. The aim is to continue training players so that they can reach the first team, and this means the demands must be high and a standard of quality must be met, which is one of the hallmarks of the VCF Academy.

"In recent years, we have invested in our human capital, in the coaches and support staff. They train our young talents and they must be equipped with the necessary abilities. Furthermore, we have invested in improving the infrastructure of the training ground for the young players," he adds.

The evolution and growth of the VCF Academy also includes the recent integration of the entire girls' football setup. In this context, the girls can receive coaching, train and compete at a high-performance centre with the aim of preparing them for the women's first team in a sport which is advancing towards professionalisation. This model of the VCF Academy is transferred to all of the international projects which the club engages in worldwide.

VCF Soccer Academies around the globe

At the international level, the VCF Academy has 15 VCF Soccer Academies spread around the globe, with a presence in strategic locations such as North America, Asia, Africa and Europe. The working method used by the VCF Academy at the Paterna Training Ground is reproduced in each of the VCF Soccer Academies. Furthermore, when permitted by the public health situation, camps and clinics are held in many other countries where people show in an interest in getting to know the method, including countries where football is very well established. For example, this summer a range of clinics and camps were held in Italy in more than 20 different locations and with the participation of more than 650 boys and girls.

"We've started collaborating with more associated clubs to share our best techniques and experience in youth development," explains Bai. "We're also collaborating closely with several partners as advisors on the development of grassroots football, academy specialisation and general academy management."

Other support programmes for the young players

Sean Bai notes that in addition to #AcademyInCommunity, the #Academy360 programme has recently been launched, which explores other ways of helping the players on and off the field of play. "This includes Pilates and nutrition workshops, among others, to improve the players' lifestyles and everyday habits, as well as teaching them to be open to new ideas."

"We work very closely with the club's Innovation Hub, because we believe that we need to be pioneers in adopting an innovative approach to youth football," he concludes. "Furthermore, we have focused our efforts on personalised development programmes for young footballing promises. Young players are susceptible to suffering ups and downs in their performance; a personalised programme helps them to develop with a positive trajectory in accordance with their evolution."