FC Goa and RB Leipzig: Things To Know About The Partnership

by Chittu Shetty November 16, 2020

On 12th of November, 2020, two of the biggest names in Indian and German football came together as FC Goa entered into a strategic partnership with RB Leipzig. Here we list out few things that you should know about the partnership.

The three-year strategic cooperation is sure to herald a new dawn in Indian football. With the two of the biggest names in Indian and German football coming together, you can’t expect anything less.

The two giants of football will work tirelessly over the next three years to not only help each other grow but make football knowledge and technical know-how more accessible to aspiring players, children and football enthusiasts across India.

So what are FC Goa and RB Leipzig in for? Here we list out few things that you should know about the partnership,

#1 FC Goa Soccer Camps to serve as the cornerstone of the partnership

With an aim to make football knowledge more accessible and helping the children of Goa learn to play the FC Goa way, the FC Goa soccer camps were launched during the 2018/19 season.

After a rousing reaction from everyone in Goa, the Gaurs will look to step up even further, this time with the support of RB Leipzig. The 2020/21 season will see the FC Goa Soccer Camps being held online due to raging pandemic.

This season, though, will see the flagship FC Goa project get a further boost with technical inputs from RB Leipzig. The footballing youth now be able to learn about ingredients that are needed at a young age to take up football and strive to be the best at it. Coaches from both FC Goa and RB Leipzig have come up with a unique curriculum and novel approach which allows for learning as per one’s own pace, personalized feedback and a tailored approach for all players.

In the years ahead, the Gaurs will look to conduct these camps in cities around India, giving the youth a chance to learn from the best and showcase their skills. These camps will also help popularize the game and take modern coaching techniques to the interiors of the country.

The top players scouted through this program will then be accepted into a comprehensive training program under the Technical Directors of both Clubs.

The FC Online Soccer School is already up and running. It is currently accepting interests from youth across the country. To book your spot, click here.

#2 Youth development – a key focus

The last decade has been a defining one in football with clubs across the world waking up to the potential of developing their own youth players. Core to that has also been the process of helping create better coaches.

In India and Germany, FC Goa and RB Leipzig have respectively been setting the benchmark in this regard. The 2018/19 season saw the FC Goa Development team lift the Goa Pro League before going unbeaten in the 2019 Durand Cup and winning the 2019 Police Cup.

The FC Goa Developmental side has produced talents that have gone on to shine for the first team. The last three season have seen 5 youngsters step up from the Dev team and play for the senior team.

Meanwhile, more than 250 players in 20 teams filled with young talents are hunting for places in the RB Leipzig senior team – 5 of them are girls’ teams However, as we all know, both clubs not only just look to set the benchmark but also push the boundaries. With a partnership like never before, the two clubs in the next three years will strive to make the beautiful game more accessible, and in turn help each other grow.

In November 2014, the RB Leipzig’s junior performance centre, together with its partner schools, was recognised by the DFB (German Football Federation) as a network of elite football schools in Germany. This means that all requirements are met to optimally support young players in fulfilling their sporting and academic obligations.

#3 Better coaches = better players

In this collaboration, the focus will be given to help coaches get better footballing education. Coaching teams from RB Leipzig will be welcomed to Goan shores to conduct workshops for the youth coaches at FC Goa.

The Gaurs will also send coaches to Leipzig to accumulate further knowledge about the beautiful game and inculcate best practices from one of the most consistent footballing nations. FC Goa will also be conducting workshops in Germany with the view of imparting knowledge to the German youth about playing the FC Goa way.

The partnership will also see RB Leipzig offer FC Goa the opportunity to hold a training camp at the training grounds of the German Football Associations’ soccer school in Leipzig (Fußballschule Abtnaundorf) in the third year of the partnership.

 

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#4 International exposure

The Indian Super League and the Bundesliga are amongst the top most-watched leagues in the world. Last season saw the ISL have a cumulative reach of 168 million and 261 million impressions – a 51% jump in viewership, making it one of the most-watched football leagues in the world.

The Bundesliga, meanwhile remains one amongst the ‘top 4’ European leagues, known for its thrilling end-to-end action supported by a tremendous amount of focus on youth development.

The league is no longer restricted to the German or European borders with matches being televised by more than 70 broadcasters worldwide.

The numbers auger great opportunities and exposure for both the clubs in their future endeavours.