Seminar discusses the future of talent in Portuguese football

The Seminar “Talent in Portuguese Football: From Coach to Footballer” took place throughout the entire day on 13 December, bringing together coaches, academics, directors and specialists from national football for an in-depth reflection on coach education and the development of football players in Portugal.

The initiative was promoted by the Associação Nacional de Treinadores de Futebol (ANTF), with the support of the Federação Portuguesa de Futebol (FPF) and the collaboration of Lusófona University – Porto University Centre, as an integral part of the continuing education offered by Lusófona University within the scope of the Master’s Degree in Football Coaching at the institution.

The opening session included an address by the President of the ANTF, Henrique Calisto, who discussed the career path and challenges of football coaching in Portugal. It also featured a contribution from the academic Filipe Casanova, Director of the Master’s Degree in Football Coaching, who highlighted the role of the university in coach education, framing the importance of the academic component in the development of technical, scientific and human skills.

During the morning, Ricardo Duarte, from the FPF, presented the current challenges related to game and training design for national teams, contextualising the competitive demands of modern football. The development of young footballers was also analysed from different institutional perspectives, with Sérgio Ribeiro presenting the vision of the Associação de Futebol do Porto, where he is technical director, and Manuel Nunes, from the FPF, addressing the contributions and future challenges of training oriented towards high performance.

The afternoon was dedicated to the presentation of different methodologies for the development of young players applied in professional and semi-professional club contexts. Approaches from FC Porto SAD, presented by coach Filipe Ribeiro, FC Famalicão SAD, by Fábio Brito, Varzim SC, by Francisco Tobias, and Rio Ave FC SAD, by François Costa, were shared, enabling participants to understand similarities and specificities in the development models adopted.

The seminar continued with a panel dedicated to the theme “The Portuguese Coach Abroad”, which included the participation of José Ferraz, Professor Neca, Francisco Chaló and Rui Quinta. The experiences of these coaches outside Portugal were contextualised, addressing issues related to cultural adaptation, professional demands and the international recognition of Portuguese coaches.

In an interview, Filipe Casanova explained how academic education complements practical experience on the field and emphasised that the university provides diversified training, based on scientific knowledge and empirical experiences, which effectively contribute to the development of stronger competences in new coaches. He also noted that “since 2012, coaches have been able to obtain dual certification associated with their academic training. This has been demonstrated by the results of our national teams and clubs, as well as by the national and international recognition of our leading coaches, many of whom have academic backgrounds and were also students at Lusófona University”.

Henrique Calisto offered advice to young coaches aspiring to build a solid and long-lasting career in Portuguese football – “never stop taking part in training activities; never stop studying, because entering the coaching profession is an endless journey in terms of learning, sharing and questioning, and therefore a constant path of evolution in line with society”. He added that, beyond technology and technical knowledge, it is essential to educate coaches as individuals, capable of adapting to the new realities of football and society.

The seminar concluded by establishing itself as a space for knowledge sharing, reflection and closer ties between academia and professional football, reinforcing the importance of integrated education in the development of coaches and footballers in Portugal.

View the Event Photographs on Lusófona University’s Facebook page

Text
Bruna Pereira

Photography
Bruna Pereira

Photo Editing
Gabriel Motta