Paris Saint-Germain opened its first Paris Saint-Germain Academy in Lisbon, Portugal, yesterday. Former club idol and Portugal striker Pedro Miguel Pauleta attended the opening ceremony along with Fabien Allègre, the club’s director of Merchandising and Brand Diversification. Around 50 children took part in the opening session, which was watched by representatives of the club’s partners and members of the media.
Situated at the Urban Soccer complex in Lisbon’s Monsanto Forest Park, the Academy is staffed by experienced coaches from the club’s Paris academy, who will be passing their knowledge on children aged five to 16 in year-round programmes and summer camps. Under the direction of André Neves, they will strive to improve the football skills of Lisbon’s youngsters, while ensuring they respect the values and the playing philosophy of Paris Saint-Germain.
Speaking at the opening, club legend and Paris Saint-Germain Academy ambassador Pauleta said: “Thanks to the Paris Saint-Germain Academy in Lisbon, Paris is now here in the Portuguese capital, all year round. I am delighted that my young compatriots, many of whom are Paris Saint-Germain fans, can live out their passion to the full and learn the game through the methods of one of Europe’s great clubs. It’s a pleasure for me to be part of this project.”
Giving his views, Allègre added: “The quality of the facilities at Urban Soccer and the superb training offered by our coaches will allow us to offer our young Portuguese fans the best possible conditions for them to learn the ropes and share their passion for football with us.”
“This is the first time we have opened a Paris Saint-Germain Academy in a major European capital outside France. We are now present in 11 countries and we are continuing to expand and to project the Paris Saint-Germain brand around the world.”
About the Paris Saint-Germain Academy
The Paris Saint-Germain Academy is a football school open to girls and boys aged five to 16. It is now present in 11 countries (France, Brazil, USA, Canada, UK, Morocco, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Lebanon and Portugal) through 60 centres open all year round and more than 150 summer camps. More than 10,500 attend the academies, half of them in countries other than France.
Staffing the centres are around 110 coaches, who have been trained by the club and offer top-level coaching and guidance based on the values of excellence, fun and fair play, the aim is to make the experience as fulfilling and as stimulating as possible. The coaching provided at the Paris Saint-Germain Academy is of the standard expected of a major European club that is famed around the world. In attending the training school all year round or joining a training camp during their school holidays, children benefit from top-quality coaching based on the Paris Saint-Germain philosophy.
The Paris Saint-Germain Academy is a resounding success and reflects the growing appeal of the club in France and abroad. The Paris Saint-Germain Academy forms an integral part of the club’s international development strategy and represents a gateway to the world of Paris Saint-Germain for youngsters from all over the globe.
