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| Aspire high management and guests pose with the students at the gala dinner |
This fifth edition of Aspire Football Dreams covered 14 countries across three continents Asia, Africa and Latin America. Thirty-one young, talented boys, born in 1998, from Thailand, Costa Rica and Guatemala joined those from Vietnam, Paraguay, Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, , Ivory Coast, Mali, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda to train with, and play against, each other at Aspire Academy. More than 620,000 young boys entered the programme, between them playing around 60,000 games organised on more than 800 pitches spread throughout the 14 countries. Registration to take part was free.
The programme has used the services of 6,000 volunteers, in combination with highly qualified professional coaches and scouts.
The top 31 boys were brought to Qatar to enjoy a month-long trial and condensed training programme, including friendly games against the youth team of FC Barcelona formed of 1997 born players, some local Qatari clubs as well as against some Aspire Academy local football players. They were accompanied by 46 young players from previous editions representing the three age groups: 1995, 1996 and 1997 born talents.
Aspire’s football coaching staff worked hand-in-hand with the programme’s scouts and country co-ordinators, headed by Program Director Josep Colomer. The 31 selected boys trained and played under the watchful eyes of the coaching staff, who introduced them to the latest coaching methods and techniques.
At the gala dinner 31 future footballers were presented with certificates of achievement by Tariq Abdul- Aziz al-Naama, Vice President of Aspire Zone Foundation and five-times World Cup coach, Serbian Bora Milutinovi, one of the ambassadors of the Qatar 2022 World Cup Bid, Ambassador of FC Barcelona Josep Maria Fuste, who was the captain of Barca in the 70’s and played over 500 games with 3 Copa del Rey and 1 liga title. He also played for the Spanish National team for more than 8 appearances and helped Spain winning the European championship back in 1964.
The gala dinner was opened by a welcome word and brief note on the Aspire Football Dreams programme by Ivan Bravo , DG Aspire followed by a speech by Dr. Andreas Bleicher, Executive Director of International Affairs, Aspire who also made a presentation on Aspire Senegal .
During their time in Doha, the boys have benefited from Aspire’s sports science facilities. These include hi-tech equipment, physical tests, fitness tests, scanning and medical treatments. They have also taken advantage of the leisure time programme arranged for them by the Academy.
The boys were accommodated in the Academy’s boarding school dormitory, whose standard is that of a top class hotel. A healthy and balanced diet was also provided to them by the Academy’s catering staff and under the supervision of the academy’s specialised team of dieticians .
The 31 boys born 1998 as well as the 46 others from other age groups benefited during their month stay in Doha from the advanced health services of ASPETAR, Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital. The only FIFA accredited sports medicine centre in the middle East region.
This Aspire Football Dreams programme started back in 2007, with 7 countries in Africa and now reaches 14 countries on 3 continents to give hope to thousands of children in these developing countries to fulfil their dreams to reach the heights of international football. But, in the second edition, it was broadened to cover Vietnam in Asia, and Paraguay in Latin America.