The French national team is one of the favourites to lift the UEFA Euro 2020, and the Franco-German tactician believes the foundation for the country's continued success was laid in 1988
Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr is convinced that the abundance of top French talents in the biggest clubs across the world stemmed from the country's decision to focus on youth development in the late eighties.
France won the European Championships in 1984, but they had to wait for another 14 years before winning another major trophy, which is the biggest trophy of them all, the World Cup.
However, a decade before that monumental triumph, the French Football Federation established the Centre Technique National Fernand Sastre, commonly referred to as INF Clairefontaine, one of the best-known football academies in the world for young talents.
The centre has produced some of the most gifted French players, including Thierry Henry (a member of the France '98 World Cup-winning team), Nicholas Anelka (Euro 2000 winner), and Kylian Mbappe (Russia 2018 winner).
With an unrivalled array of world-class performers comprising stars from Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, UEFA Champions League winners Chelsea, and French giants PSG, the French national team are yet again favourite for Euro 2020.
Rohr believes the French policy of catching the players young is the secret behind the country's unending supply of top talents.
“We work very well with young people very early on. The talents are spotted regionally and nationally,” said the former Girondins Bordeaux manager as quoted by the Tageblatt.
“You will move in together early at the age of 13.
“As early as 1972, the then association president Fernand Sastre had the idea for the Clairefontaine performance centre, which is around 60 kilometres from Paris and opened in 1988.”
France begin their UEFA Euro 2020 journey with a clash against Germany on Tuesday, June 15, at the Fussball Arena in Munich.
I agree to an extent but the truth of the matter is that French Football Federation is good in mobilizing and utilizing African Immigrants in their country. Looking at the France squad, they are mostly Africa’s or of African descent.
No magic…. Let’s work on what we have based on this tutorial
No magic… Let us work on what we have based on this piece.
I visited Clairefontaine in 2019 and I was left quite stunned by what the French have in place there. From grooming youngsters to keeping the senior team comfortable, it is a world class facility.
The museum for their World Cup winning teams of 1998 and 2018 was also a masterpiece to behold. We could definitely learn from them.
Ok