Aspire Academy’s Global Summit landmark 10th annual edition kicked off in the heart of Qatar’s desert at the Regency Sealine Camp yesterday.
The two-day summit is a platform for Aspire in the World Fellows community that brings together 50 sporting bodies, including clubs, federations, and leagues. The event is focused on sharing insights into performance and science as well as developing the future of the game.
The opening day featured a Masterclass from Ajax coach and former Aspire coach Francesco Farioli, as well as Star Chats with French coach Rudi Garcia and Al Duhail boss Christophe Galtier. Those were followed by some workshops and a roundtable discussion for the delegates.
The 2024 Summit was officially opened by Aspire Academy’s Director General Ivan Bravo with welcoming remarks from Professor Valter Di Salvo, the Executive Director of the Aspire Academy Global Summit. The duo addressed not only the Aspire in the World Fellows but also other invited guests from local clubs, sponsors and VIPs, including Omar al-Jaber, Acting Chief of the Tourism Development Sector & Director of Shared Services.
Bravo talked about the advantages that Aspire Academy, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, has when it comes to developing players. “Aspire has time to get to know players over several years, and those players get to know not just each other but the staff. That kind of bond and understanding leads to success, as we have witnessed with Qatar winning back-to-back AFC Asian Cups,” he said.
For his part, Di Salvo said: “This summit is all about education and this vision, driven by our leadership over the past 20 years, has empowered us to create something dynamic and innovative. It’s built on creativity, as we adapt and find solutions to keep learning; on continuity, having sustained this path for a decade; and on connection, bringing people together to push boundaries and inspire one another.”
Farioli’s inspiring homecoming to Aspire Academy
Ajax coach Francesco Farioli echoed those comments on teamwork on his return to Qatar and Aspire Academy. Farioli, who also worked with the Qatar Football Association, reflected on his time at Aspire, pointing out that he still works with some of the coaches he met during his time at the Academy between 2015 and 2017.
“I arrived in a country far from home, and I didn’t speak English well. That was a big challenge,” he admitted. “When I arrived, I had a lot of ideas but had no idea how to put them in order, and that is one of the main things I learnt at Aspire Academy. Seeing some of those players from my time here now in the national team is rewarding. When we think about vision and putting in effort without knowing what will come of it, it’s incredibly fulfilling to see our kids grow into football players and men who represent the country globally.”
His fascinating and in-depth presentation featured videos and graphics of his decision-making process. He used his version of the Qatar metro map to illustrate his point.
The first Star Chat of the summit was with French coach Rudi Garcia, who talked about his journey in football, working in France, Italy and Saudi Arabia. He highlighted the time spent at Lille working with young talent like Eden Hazard, who went on to be recognised as one the world’s top players at Chelsea.
The 60-year-old also expressed his concerns about players playing too many games at the moment and urged governing bodies and leagues to look at how best they can protect players.
In the afternoon, the delegates heard from Al Duhail’s current coach, Christophe Galtier, about his life as a football coach, especially his time with the French giants Paris Saint Germain.
The Frenchman gave a glimpse of the challenges he faced coaching three of the world’s biggest football stars, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar. He pointed out that he faced an additional challenge that all three play in very similar positions but insisted that it is simply part of a coach’s job to deal with these situations.
Galtier also praised Aspire Academy: “Before I came to Qatar, I had heard about Aspire Academy and its reputation, but this weekend, I witnessed for myself what it can produce when I saw seven young players developed at Aspire playing, and I was impressed with what I saw. I am enjoying my time in Qatar as everyone is open to learning new things and working hard.”
The afternoon session also included the delegates splitting into groups for workshops to discuss this year’s topics: Mind the Gap: Tracing the evolution of football performance and science over the past decade; Technical-Tactical (R)evolution: Examining the changes and innovations in football over the last ten years and The Future of Football Performance: What lies ahead in performance, strategy, and player development.
The results from these discussions were then presented to the summit with a round table. The Aspire Academy Global Summit continues today with a Star Chat from legendary Argentina striker Gabriel Batistuta.
The Aspire Academy Global Summit is a one-of-a-kind event that goes beyond a traditional conference. It serves as a dynamic platform for collaboration and innovation, providing Aspire in the World Fellows and attendees innovating new pathways for the sport’s growth and inspiring cutting-edge advancements. In the past, the event has been held in Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, London and most recently Rome.