The Jerzu Training Center was presented.

Cagliari Calcio has inaugurated a new Training Center in Jerzu, adding to those in Cagliari—home to the club’s youth development activities—and Alghero, where, starting this season, the Under-14 team participates in the national category championship with a roster of players from various parts of Sardinia. This progressive and thorough effort will now also include Ogliastra, a strategic region rich in resources to nurture and develop for the future, following a shared philosophy and methodology.

The project was detailed during a conference hosted at the Ogliastra center, attended by coaches and managers from local clubs, who were introduced to the guidelines of the work carried out in Sardinia since 2014 by the Cagliari Football Academy. Jerzu’s mayor, Carlo Lai, welcomed the initiative, emphasizing that “the presence of Cagliari Calcio in Ogliastra is of crucial importance for the social as well as the sporting development of the region. It is an honor to host this new and ambitious project, which carries significant meaning. This marks the start of a complex journey that we hope—and firmly believe—will help many young athletes pursue their dreams, and, in general, improve local communities through the support of a professional club’s infrastructure.”

The Sporting and Organizational Director of Cagliari Calcio’s youth sector, Pierluigi Carta, stated: “We are honored by the warm reception we’ve received from the very beginning. Jerzu was not chosen randomly but after a process lasting several months, during which we assessed that the conditions were right to open a new strategic training center to further our work across Sardinia. We aim to be very practical, and we are proving this with tangible actions, as seen in Alghero and throughout the region. Through a synergistic effort between the Academy and Rossoblù scouting, we can monitor and nurture the wealth of talent we have. Ogliastra is no exception—Jerzu will serve as the base for the Training Center, but all centers in Ogliastra must be and feel involved. This means going beyond parochial rivalries and working together to grow collectively, giving the most deserving athletes the chance to play for Cagliari and reach the highest levels possible in their sporting journey.”

Mattia Belfiori, Head of the Cagliari Football Academy and Youth Development at Cagliari Calcio, outlined the concepts, objectives, and principles of the project. “The Academy has an athletic and technical purpose, of course, focused on identifying and developing football talent. However, it primarily holds a social prerogative: working seriously within a community and improving alongside local clubs—whether they are affiliated with the Academy or not—means bringing something positive and lasting to the entire region. Through ongoing dialogue, meetings, training sessions where Cagliari staff collaborate with local club staff, and exclusive experiences for children involving Cagliari’s infrastructure, we believe it’s possible to raise the overall level and provide as many young people as possible with opportunities to build their football journey. Achieving this requires everyone’s contribution, and we are confident that Jerzu and Ogliastra are incredibly fertile ground for success.”

Davide Carrus, currently the coach of Cagliari’s Under-15 team and a former professional footballer who rose through the club’s youth ranks, shared an important message. After retiring as a player, he joined the youth academy’s coaching team in 2019. “The strength of the work we do lies in its continuity, day after day, year after year. Today, I have the privilege of coaching the Under-15 group, which I’ve followed in previous years, up to this critical entry point into competitive football. This continuity allows us to monitor and understand the growth of children as they transition into adolescence, identifying what they need and addressing technical and behavioral aspects both on and off the field.
The emphasis on play and the development of basic technical skills during training is fundamental; it’s the only way to nurture talents who might one day perform on high-level stages. Even in Ogliastra, this is achievable through collective effort, recognizing the potential that exists as well as the gaps to be filled. It’s essential to understand what we, as individual coaches, can contribute to the individuals and groups we work with. Coaching 10-year-olds is not the same as working with 15-year-olds, let alone adults. Tailoring our approach is key to achieving meaningful growth at every stage.”

The Cagliari Football Academy was established in 2014 with the arrival of President Tommaso Giulini at the helm of Cagliari Calcio. Today, it includes 40 affiliated clubs in Sardinia, as well as partnerships with Mazzo di Rho (Milan) and Terzo Tempo (Lecce). It serves as a cornerstone of the Club’s efforts to identify future football talents while simultaneously fostering the social development of young people and the communities and regions they come from. Over time, this work has been enhanced with the goal of transitioning as many players as possible from the Academy and grassroots programs to the Rossoblù youth sector.

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