A whopping 5 000 soccer players attended the trials of RCD Espanyol de Barcelona, the first LaLiga club academy in South Africa.
The record-breaking event was held at St Stithians College, Lyme Park, as hopeful youngsters aimed to get a foot in the door in the Spanish league and European soccer, over two weekends.
A rigorous selection process saw players go through drills, small-sided and one-versus-one play-off games to make sure the best of the best was selected.
This is from U8 to U19 levels, both male and female.
RCD Espanyol currently has 11 academies worldwide, and former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Brian Baloyi has joined the academy as head goalkeeper coach.
“The first days are a clear example of the club’s impact in the country and the potential of this academy in Johannesburg. We will keep on doing everything from our side to consolidate this project and ensure its success,” said Albert Saus, head of RCD Espanyol’s international projects.
The academy is a partnership with local partner Ibercup, an expert in the international youth football sector, responsible for hosting LaLiga camps around the country and the Ibercup International Youth Football Tournament.
“We had players arriving from Gauteng, the Western and Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and the Free State, and from as far afield as Lesotho, Swaziland and Zimbabwe,” said Michael Bender, chief executive officer of the RCD Espanyol Academy Johannesburg and Ibercup SA.
“The talent pool was beyond exceptional, and we truly believe that given the rest of this year to develop the talent, we will be in a strong position to compete as an academy at the Ibercup in Portugal and at the Annual RCD Espanyol Tournament and make South Africa proud.”
On the day, Bafana legend Siphiwe Tshabalala addressed the youngsters who participated in the trials and encouraged them to keep going.
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