They have produced superstars like Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernandez, Carles Puyol, and Andres Iniesta. But now FC Barcelona are on the prowl to find the next big thing from India.
The European and Spanish champions today announced an ambitious talent scouting project in India scheduled in January next year.
The project will be kicked off with a week-long camp in the National Capital Region for youngsters in the 6-14 age group. The camp will be open to all interested children on a first-come-first-served basis.
The youngsters will be guided by a team of four to five coaches from FC Barcelona who will also train Indian coaches so that the method of training and style of play of the famous club is imparted to kids in India.
Xevi Marce, Director of FCBEscola, the feeder school to the club’s world famous youth academy La Masia, admitted that he was impressed by the Indian kids who had traveled to Spain for a training stint.
However, he asserted that the Catalunian club cannot promise to produce the next Lionel Messi from India, but would rather focus on giving talented Indian kids the opportunity to develop into world class players.
“We are very impressed by what we have seen so far, but we have not come to search for talent over here. We want to train children and develop them to the highest level they can go,” Xevi told reporters here.
“We are offering world-class training under the same successful methodology that has produced leading football stars like Pique and Victor Valdes. But we cannot promise to deliver the next Messi.
First, we will study and understand your country. We will promote social projects and values. We will see how the project happens. We don’t promise anything since we don’t know from where any player will come up.” “For all the programmes we will do, we will bring coaches from Barcelona and share our knowledge with your Indian kids and coaches so that they can continue the camps. The training camp will serve as a major stepping stone for the participants to move to higher training. It will provide youth access to highest level of football training and development,” he added.
The representative of the Heritage School Gurgaon, a partner in the project, Manit Jain, said in the first year they would aim to train 10,000 students in the NCR and then think of expanding in other regions of the country.
“We are going step by step. Our aim is to train 10,000 students in the first year in Gurgaon and NCR. Next year, we are aiming to expand in all the other metros and the third year we will spread to all A-class cities,” Jain said.
“We are going to ensure that every child with talent in this country will get the right opportunity. It is a serious challenge and we are working out the best possible strategy right now.”
The European and Spanish champions today announced an ambitious talent scouting project in India scheduled in January next year.
The project will be kicked off with a week-long camp in the National Capital Region for youngsters in the 6-14 age group. The camp will be open to all interested children on a first-come-first-served basis.
The youngsters will be guided by a team of four to five coaches from FC Barcelona who will also train Indian coaches so that the method of training and style of play of the famous club is imparted to kids in India.
Xevi Marce, Director of FCBEscola, the feeder school to the club’s world famous youth academy La Masia, admitted that he was impressed by the Indian kids who had traveled to Spain for a training stint.
However, he asserted that the Catalunian club cannot promise to produce the next Lionel Messi from India, but would rather focus on giving talented Indian kids the opportunity to develop into world class players.
“We are very impressed by what we have seen so far, but we have not come to search for talent over here. We want to train children and develop them to the highest level they can go,” Xevi told reporters here.
“We are offering world-class training under the same successful methodology that has produced leading football stars like Pique and Victor Valdes. But we cannot promise to deliver the next Messi.
First, we will study and understand your country. We will promote social projects and values. We will see how the project happens. We don’t promise anything since we don’t know from where any player will come up.” “For all the programmes we will do, we will bring coaches from Barcelona and share our knowledge with your Indian kids and coaches so that they can continue the camps. The training camp will serve as a major stepping stone for the participants to move to higher training. It will provide youth access to highest level of football training and development,” he added.
The representative of the Heritage School Gurgaon, a partner in the project, Manit Jain, said in the first year they would aim to train 10,000 students in the NCR and then think of expanding in other regions of the country.
“We are going step by step. Our aim is to train 10,000 students in the first year in Gurgaon and NCR. Next year, we are aiming to expand in all the other metros and the third year we will spread to all A-class cities,” Jain said.
“We are going to ensure that every child with talent in this country will get the right opportunity. It is a serious challenge and we are working out the best possible strategy right now.”
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