Cagliari Football Academy, the new season gets underway

The traditional start-of-season meeting with Cagliari Football Academy’s affiliated clubs took place once again, providing an opportunity to share objectives, methodologies and development prospects across the Rossoblù network. Launched in 2014, the programme focuses not only on football training but also on the education and personal development of young players.

The proceedings in Terralba, in the province of Oristano, were opened by Club Secretary Omar Sanna, followed by Mattia Belfiori, Head of Cagliari Football Academy, who led the meeting alongside Max Canzi, Head of the Youth Sector, and Oscar Erriu, Technical Coordinator. Staff members involved in the programme also took part, together with Stefano Faticoni, representing the Club’s partnerships department. Pierluigi Carta, Sporting Director of the Youth Sector, delivered the closing remarks, following the institutional greetings from Andrea Grussu, Deputy Mayor and Sports Councillor of the Municipality of Terralba, which hosted this year’s event. Also in attendance was Gian Mario Spiga, a member of the office of the President of the Mont’e Prama Foundation, one of the Academy’s partners. The Foundation has renewed its commitment to supporting the project, which will include a range of additional initiatives, including one of the tournaments scheduled for the season.

FROM LOCAL CLUBS TO THE FIRST TEAM
The results of the work carried out in partnership with affiliated clubs can be seen in the development pathways of young players who, over the years, have progressed through the various stages of the Rossoblù youth system and gone on to professional football. Nicola Grandu and Riyad Idrissi are now regular members of the first-team squad managed by Fabio Pisacane, providing tangible evidence of a programme designed to identify talent, nurture it and support players throughout their development.

TRAINING, SHARING AND DEVELOPMENT
“Our goal is to continually improve our ability to identify and guide young talents, while also supporting the development of the clubs that work with us,” explained Mattia Belfiori“Training goes beyond the sporting side of things: we want to pass on values such as respect, team spirit and responsibility.” The Academy’s work is built on ongoing dialogue with affiliated clubs, scouting activities, tournaments and training sessions for club officials and coaches. This daily commitment aims, above all, to raise the quality of work on the pitch and help the entire youth football community grow, as Belfiori emphasised.In his address, Max Canzi thanked the clubs for their trust and cooperation, reiterating the central role played by coaches in the educational and sporting development of young players. “You are the key figures in their development: it is within your clubs that they receive their first lessons and build the foundations of a journey that, for some, may continue at Cagliari. For eleven years, we have been working alongside young people across the island, pursuing an ambitious goal that requires cooperation and shared objectives. Thanks also to the support of partners such as Energit, Saras and EyeSport, we continue to move in the right direction,” said the Head of the Youth Sector, wishing all the clubs and organisations in attendance every success for the season ahead.

A NETWORK THAT SUPPORTS LOCAL TALENT
Aimed at children aged 6 to 12, Cagliari Football Academy supports the development of youth football through cooperation between the Club and its affiliated organisations, giving young players opportunities to improve without having to leave their local sporting environment. The network also includes selected clubs outside Sardinia, such as Mazzo di Rho and Lecce.
Alongside its technical focus, the Academy promotes an educational model in which football becomes a tool for personal development, with particular attention to physical and psychological well-being, relationships and sporting values. Close cooperation between Rossoblù coaches and instructors from affiliated clubs is essential to this process, as are the training sessions and seminars organised at the sports centre in Assemini. The support of Energit, Saras and EyeSport helps strengthen this network and share methodologies and tools that benefit both the clubs and their young athletes.Cagliari Football Academy therefore continues on its path, strengthening its ties with the local community season after season and investing in the next generation. Because helping a young person grow means offering opportunities through sport and, above all, providing the tools and values they will need for the future.