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Youth Interactive Writer
In a bid to strengthen sports relations between Zimbabwe and Portugal, as well as grow and develop young talent locally, by participating on an international level, new academy dubbed ‘F.C Porto Academy’ has opened its house to help talented young footballers develop their skills on- and off the field.
The academy which is situated at Alexander Sports Club in Harare offers training, and transferable soccer skills with an ambition to give you an international market opportunity, thus after you register with them.
The programme targets 3-20-year-olds who have a passion for soccer for one to register, according to the organisers, registration forms can be obtained at the Bachelor’s Republic store and 4 May International Menswear store along Jason Moyo Road and at Joina City, CBD.
A survey has revealed that the professionalisation of soccer academies has intensified, with youth players exposed to demanding performance-focused environments in pursuit of a career in the professional game.
Yet, academies are also under increasing pressure to show that they develop players who can function in life beyond soccer.
F.C Porto (Dragon Force), executive board member, Ricardo Frey Ramos, said they were very pleased with this new partnership.
“GEA Sports welcomed us warmly and was willing to create all the conditions for the tremendous success of the FC Porto World Camp,” he said.
GEA Sports Zimbabwe Chairman Cobert Chimedza has no doubts when defining the Dragon Force Football School as “the best organisation to support the development of football in Zimbabwe. “This is the first step towards sustainable growth, but with the great objective of expanding horizons.”
“We believe in the training methodology of F.C Porto Dragon Force, based on a Club with a lot of history, knowledge, and victories, and which has a differentiating pedagogical component that will help develop many players, as well as the future citizens of Africa,” he said.
Chimedza said that it is a pathway for young footballers to play professional football in Europe.
“As they say, ‘Catch them young’, we are targeting to start at 3-20 years and those that are trained will have some trials at F.C Porto.” Chimedza said.
The staunch footballer promoter said with the academy they are expecting to travel to Portugal between March and July next year with at least two competition teams that will take part in a tournament.
“They will be teams from Brazil, Columbia, the United States, and the host Portugal.
“The will be scouts in attendance at the tournament and players who excel will automatically be given contracts,” he said. “The F.C Porto shall be visiting Zimbabwe regularly to teach their methodology to both coaches and players. They shall also assist local coaches by contacting coaching clinics.”
Chimedza added that besides travelling for tournaments, there shall be sending players every 4 months for trials with F.C Porto.
“I know people may have doubts because of experience with other suitors but we are the real deal and any football player that is aspiring to play at the highest level has the opportunity now opened by us through this project.”
“It’s value for money. The coaches were here in March for a one-week camp at St John’s College and were impressed with the abundance of talent hence they decided to launch an FC Porto Dragon Force School in Zimbabwe.
About 120 players, attended the launch in March.
After the opening January of the football School in Fortaleza, Brazil, the implementation of the Dragon Force International Certification at FC Beira, in Mozambique, FC Porto opens now the Dragon Force Academy in Harare, Zimbabwe, making it the third project to be implemented internationally in 2023 by Dragon Force Academy.
Online Reporter