Catching talent that has slipped through extremely competitive net outside the professional game, the Nike Academy held their 2016 'Most Wanted' global showcase over the weekend. Unearthing plenty of gifted individuals, five players were awarded an intake of the illustrious Nike Academy.
To make it in the game, the opportunities draw comparison with threading through the eye of a needle. The challenge is intense and those that make it are few and far between. Though the chance is very much there an with the help of the Nike academy, there is one opportunity that acts as a gateway and a stepping stone back in to the professional game. The best thing going for players who have been cast aside by clubs or for one reason or another, not been picked up, this global showcase brought together the best from the globe over. Each player fighting it out for a place at Nike Football’s full-time football training program.
In the last year, a number of players have gone from the Nike academy and been scooped up by professional clubs. The time, effort and hard work is very much yielding results. Handed the lifeline, 5 players from this years' global showcase were offered the chance to join the 24-man squad who develop their skills under the expert guidance of elite coaches and mentors. A three-day experience attracted 33 players from 17 countries to the English Football Association’s National Training Centre, and the Nike Academy’s permanent base, where they competed for a coveted place in the squad under many a watchful eye.
Enzo Sauvage (France), Max Konrad (Germany), Alexander Panchenko (Russia), Erik Tovmasyan (Russia) and Cihan Saydam (Turkey) are the troop that form the fresh in take. Looking out for their names, the hard work starts now. No questions over the incredible proposition that the Nike academy holds, it's about learning to be the strongest player and person on and off the pitch. An institution that is built on nothing but a will to succeed, you've got to applaud the process.
You can find out more about the Nike Academy here.
