How to create world-class soccer players in youth soccer systems?

The youth soccer system is a crucial time to shape a soccer player’s skills and character, and it’s important to learn from other countries to develop a systematic and efficient way of training. For the development of Korean soccer, we need to strengthen education and training in the youth stage and build a customized system for Korea by referring to overseas examples.

 

For a soccer player, athleticism, physicality, and speed are things that they should be born with. However, dribbling skills, fundamentals, and stamina can be developed through acquired efforts. The most important fundamentals and technical aspects of soccer must be learned correctly and correctly during youth, or it”ll be difficult to improve them over time. In addition, it”s during youth that acquired skills can be learned the fastest and potential can be discovered and developed. In addition to being an effective time to develop athleticism, youth is also a great time to prepare for life as an adult and to develop the character and attitudes that soccer players need to have. In addition, it”s also important to develop the character and attitudes that prepare a soccer player for life as an adult. For this reason, you can see how important it is to learn soccer in youth to become a good soccer player, or even a great soccer player.
You can tell a lot about the future of soccer in a country by looking at how its youth soccer system is organized. A great example is Portugal. The country won back-to-back world youth soccer titles in 1989 and 1991. At the time, Portugal had an organized youth soccer system to produce talent. The result was a group of players called the ‘Golden Generation’, who went on to achieve great things. If South Korea wants to repeat the glory of 2002, it must start with youth soccer. The systematic development of youth soccer will play a key role in the future of Korean soccer’s rise to the global level.
The Korea Youth Football Association, which had been in charge of youth soccer in Korea, was declared bankrupt by a court on October 11 last year and decided to dissolve itself on October 17. In addition, the secondary school soccer federation was almost dissolved as well. In this situation, it is now up to the Korea Football Association to develop youth soccer players. Therefore, there are high expectations for the system and policies to develop youth soccer. In order for Korean soccer to develop globally, it must take on the challenges and adventures of the future. For the future development of Korean soccer, it will be necessary to accurately recognize the situation of Korean soccer, compare and analyze overseas youth soccer cases, and come up with a development system and a clear direction for Korean soccer.
Germany is the country with the largest number of members in developed European soccer clubs, and the number of members is expected to continue to grow in the future. The German Football Association strives to run a systematic and organized system from youth soccer to the Bundesliga. Youth soccer in Germany is mainly played in soccer clubs. There are six youth soccer leagues in Germany, each divided into age groups. Like the adult soccer leagues, the youth soccer leagues have a promotion system. Games are usually played on Friday afternoons, Saturdays, and Sundays. The programs that German youth soccer has in place are very interesting. There”s a wide variety of drills, but the German youth soccer program is based around matches. They also have different SSGs (mini-games) for each age group. They start with one-on-one, and then gradually increase the number of people to play four-on-four, seven-on-seven, and so on, so that they can learn the fun and excitement of the game first. The U-12 team combines training and games with programs such as 7v7 and 8v8, while the U-13 team increases the number of players to create a 9v9 program. These programs give players experience with different ways of handling the ball and help them improve teamwork, such as being able to see around in small spaces without overwhelming themselves.
The path to the pros in the German youth soccer system is very different from the Korean youth soccer system. The German youth system divides teams by age group, and while some players move up and some move down, about 90% of players move up to the top teams. The other 10 percent or so of the players are selected and recommended by local scouts and given a chance to test the waters, with one or two of them being added to the age group teams. Notable players include Manuel Neuer, Mario Gotze, and Jerome Boateng. Unlike the Korean youth system, the German youth system doesn’t require players to compete with a focus on performance. Instead, players are encouraged to develop their skills and refine their personalities.
The Spanish youth soccer program is notable for its well-organized leagues. The Spanish youth soccer teams are so interconnected that they have their own leagues to play in. There are six leagues for each age group, and this allows players to play in real matches with real professionals. As a result, they get more experience and a better feel for the game than other players. At youth level, players are more likely to adopt the philosophy of their coach than to be creative, which is why education is so important in Spain. Coaches focus on getting players excited about soccer, avoiding meaningless drills that are simply repetitive, in favor of drills that develop the ability to make decisions in different situations. The Spanish youth system doesn’t have a concept of elite players from the start, but rather starts with having fun and progresses over time based on skill. The youth leagues in Spain are a tightly knit network, so any talented youth player is noticed by coaches and scouts, analyzed systematically, and immediately reported to the Spanish Football Federation. This systematic approach makes it easier for associations and clubs to identify talented players.
Another aspect of the Spanish youth soccer system that stands out is its commitment to protecting its own players. There are regulations that prohibit foreign players from participating in certain Spanish youth leagues. This is to ensure that foreign players, especially Latin American and African players, don’t deprive Spanish youth soccer players of the opportunity to play. In addition to this, the Spanish soccer federation doesn’t allow youth to participate in leagues if they’re not in school. This is not only to build character as a soccer player, but also to open up other avenues for their future outside of soccer.
The league structure in England is one of the most complex and organized in the world. According to the English Football Association, there are 40,000 clubs and over 2,000 leagues. Despite having so many different leagues and teams, England has an organized youth soccer development system across all levels. Youth soccer in England is coached with an advanced playing system and tournament structure that helps players adapt to professional soccer quickly and strengthens teams. In addition to developing individual skills, the program also manages injuries and scheduling to prevent players from retiring early in their careers due to injury. The amazing thing is that the clubs pay for all of this.
Youth soccer in England is organized into four age groups. The first is for under-9s (U-9), the second is for 9 to 11s (U-11), the third is for 12 to 16s (U-16), and the last is for 17 to 21s (U-21). The Under-9 team is designed to teach players the fundamental skills of soccer and encourage them to have fun with the game. The 9 to 11 year olds improve their fundamental skills and develop their ability to react in game situations. The 12 to 16 age group focuses on tactics and team play, and the 17 to 21 age group prepares players for the transition to the professional ranks, where they train and gain real-world experience in a game-like environment. The youth soccer system in England uses this organized, step-by-step training to help players develop gradually.
France’s youth soccer system is also very organized. The French Football Association runs youth soccer academies in each region of the country, where promising players are identified and systematically trained. In addition to the technical, tactical, and mental aspects of the game, these academies help players improve their overall abilities. One of the hallmarks of the French youth soccer system is the personalized training programs that take into account the characteristics of each player. This allows players to maximize their strengths and work on their weaknesses. The French youth soccer system has produced many world-class players thanks to this systematic training.
As you can see, each country”s youth soccer system has a huge impact on the development of the sport. Korea should take a cue from these examples and build a youth soccer system that is tailored to Korea. This will help the Korean soccer program reach the world class level.