A special milestone event was held at Dragon Park on Thursday as part of an exciting collaboration between the FAW and the FIFA Talent Development Scheme (TDS) to further develop the women’s game through the FIFA Talent Academy.
The event was the first of its kind to be held by a UEFA Member Association and sets a clear path towards establishing a high performing girls academy dedicated to developing our most talented young players. The event was attended by representatives from FIFA, FAW stakeholders and the media, while players from the academy programme took to the field for a football festival.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino delivered a video message to those in attendance and reflected on the strides made by Cymru in recent years with the men’s team qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the women’s team reaching the UEFA EURO finals this summer.
“This fantastic project, which is the brainchild of FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development, Arsène Wenger, will help identify, nurture and develop local talent, providing a pathway for boys and girls to shine, both regionally and globally,” explained Infantino.
“We want football to continue contributing to society, fostering social and personal growth and developing well-rounded individuals by instilling values such as discipline, teamwork and leadership. I am sure that our collaboration will mean Welsh football will soon see more fantastic landmarks, including appearances in more global FIFA events.”
Meanwhile, FIFA’s Director of Global Football Development, Steven Martens, was in attendance to explain more about this exciting initiative. “It’s really important for us to support each and every association,” explained Mertens to FAW.cymru.
“We are there for every association, but even more specifically for associations that are ambitious and have the ability to take what we offer and maximise it. There is a lot of experience already in the FAW, but with some additional international expertise, they can take it to the next level.”
The TDS has already been introduced in various ways across more than 180 FIFA Member Associations and is aimed at empowering their development with ongoing expertise, structure and support. As part of the scheme, Rachel Lever, a FIFA-recruited and trained coach, was deployed to work within the FAW Girls’ National Academi environment side-by-side with local coaches and staff and has been in the role for a year.
“It’s a long-term investment,” added Martens. “It’s something you have to see through and that is what the FAW is willing to do. Working with smaller nations with smaller populations is great because it’s easier to oversee everything. It’s about making sure you give players the chance and then you will get more professional players and more international players.”
Former Cymru striker Kayleigh Barton announced the end of her playing career earlier in the week and was also present to take questions from the academy players to share her experiences of representing her country at the very highest level. She was then joined on stage by FIFA ambassador Ariane Hingst, a two-time FIFA World Cup winner and four-time EURO champion with Germany.
FAW Chief Executive Noel Mooney highlighted the progress of the women’s game in Wales as he addressed those in attendance. “I want to thank FIFA for their support,” he explained. “We need that support as a thriving, growing football association. FIFA is generating a lot of support for the game, and we need that to enable us to continue to fund what you see today and for us to continue to grow.”
The FIFA Talent Academy Wales is one of only three within UEFA and the first to host a milestone event. “The mission for the programme is for us to accelerate the development of talented players,” explained Vicki Linton, FAW Head of Player Development for Women and Girls. “The purpose of it is to sustain success for our national team. That’s what drives us every day.”
Cymru head coach Rhian Wilkinson and FAW Chief Football Officer David Adams both provided video messages to endorse the collaboration with FIFA, while Martens echoed Infantino’s comments on the influence of Arsène Wenger on the evolution of the TDS programme. “He said that if you want to be successful at the top then you have to develop talent from the bottom up.
“It’s about giving every talent a chance through individual development plans. Not every talent has the same environment or the same skillset. Some are faster, some are taller, some are more technical, but it’s about making the best of the skills that you have, and the goal is to give you that opportunity. There’s a lot of things happening here in Wales, and I really admire the passion, the drive and the vision.”
More information around the recent changes to girls’ football development in Wales are available here.
