Sports | Monday 14 November, 2016 1:13 am |

The award-winning du Football Champions, the only international scouting platform in partnership with the world’s strongest league, LaLiga, announced today the expansion of its scouting platform to Boys U14 with the kick off of its second season, following the successful creation of the du LaLiga High Performance Centre at its home at the Sevens, which is already producing international football stars.

The announcement was made at a press conference held in Dubai kicking off the second season of duFC, home of the nation’s official Schools Cup and Streets Cup, attended by Fahad Al Hassawi, Chief Commercial Officer at du Fernando Sanz, LaLiga General Director in MENA & Head of International Sports Projects, Michel Salgado, Director of du Football Champions and La Liga Global Ambassador, the UAE Cups’ Main Sponsor and Hussein Murad, CEO, Inspiratus as well as Mohammed bin Hazzam, Secretary General, UAE Football Association, Dr. Khalid Al Hashimi, Managing Director, UAE FA Academy, Sports Councils and Educational Authorities, top scouted talents enrolled at the du LaLiga HPC team and other invited guests.

 

Speaking on the day Fahad Al Hassawi, Chief Commercial Officer du said ”In its first season, duFC platform delivered on its promise for a scouting platform and we are proud to announce the success of our du LaLiga High Performance Centre, which is already producing football stars of international calibre. This would not have been possible without the valuable partnership of the UAE Football Federation, the Sports Councils and Educational Authorities and their commitment to youth and sports development in the UAE. With the start of the second season of duFC, we are very pleased to announce that our scouting platform at du LaLiga HPC will now be expanded to Boys U14 and we will be extending opportunities for them to be scouted by global as well as region and local clubs.”

 

5,000 youth from across the UAE have already registered in duFC’s new season with Abu Dhabi registration still open and Dubai to kick off next week, for their own chance for an international football career after seeing players from last season, such as Ahmed Al Yamani, selected for a trial with Malaga CF.  Al Yamani is currently enrolled at the du LaLiga High Performance Centre (HPC), where he, along with a select group of duFC top talents are undergoing a year-long gruelling training schedule by a hand- picked team of UEFA-certified LaLiga coaches who have been brought to the UAE to ensure the delivery of the highest standard of training at European standards.

 

Commenting on the partnership and unique international scouting platform, Fernando Sanz, LaLiga General Director in MENA & Head of International Projects,  said, "We were extremely impressed with the caliber of talents in season one of the duFC platform.  We established the du LaLiga High Performance Centre with our partners to ensure that these talents receive the best training in the UAE in preparation for scouting and football careers with top clubs in LaLiga.” 

 

“I am confident that we will see a LaLiga star emerging from the UAE in the not too distant future, based on the level of play and skill I have been witnessing throughout the Championship in the last season,” said Michel Salgado, duFC Championship Director. “I am looking forward to a great season and will be on the lookout for the best new talents in season 2 and encourage everyone to participate.”

 

In what promises to be the nation’s most exciting youth football championship, duFC’s second season kicks off with the Northern Emirates round in November, which will be played over 4 weeks through to December 10th, 2016 with Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Western Province kicking off on January 14th and Dubai kicking off on February 11th 2017.

 

Inspiratus CEO Hussein Murad called on the UAE community to be part of this unique event, “Today, we are proud to announce the success of the du LaLiga HPC, which is nurturing the development of great football talents in the UAE scouted through the duFC featuring the nation’s official Schools & Streets Cups. After seeing the overwhelming participation and the top talents, which have emerged from the platform on their way to international careers, we decided to extend the scouting platform to include the U14 category. Our commitment is to change lives and make dreams come true. The du LaLiga High Performance Centre team are proof that it is possible and we look forward to having many more join them this season.”

 

Alongside the scouting opportunity, duFC offers hundreds of schools and thousands of youth the opportunity to compete for the Grand Prizes which include, 3-day trip to Spain to watch a Real Madrid and Barcelona matches for the winning boys teams in the UAE Schools & Streets Cups and a 21-day trip to Spain with LaLiga for the opportunity to be scouted, as well as training and competitive matches with Spain’s  top youth football clubs for scouted talents.