The second two-day ECA Club Connect brought together almost 500 executives, with PAOK and the PAOK Academy also present this time, represented by coach and technical director of the Under-12s – Under-8-7s Andreas Balambanis. ECA Club Connect has quickly become a key platform for collaboration, learning and knowledge exchange.

One of the most interesting presentations of the conference was that of Arsene Wenger, who spoke about his role as FIFA’s Head of Global Football Development, discussing the latest trends in youth football, the evolution of European football tactics and the growing role of data-driven player “recruitment”. He also gave advice on how to build top academies, improve the dynamic between clubs and national teams, and commented on the impact of the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup and the role it will play in strengthening global club football.

Topics discussed included team building (with representatives from Club Brugge and Brighton sharing their experiences in acquiring players), developing talent into world-class players (with representatives from River Plate, Benfica and Ajax as speakers), and how to transition players into the first team, with analysis from executives from Monaco, Liverpool and Atletico Madrid.

At the discussion table, special mention was also made of managing footballers in a high-performance environment. Among others, Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Edin Terzic (Dortmund), and Simon Timson (Manchester City) all contributred to the discussions.

On the sidelines of his presence in Madrid, Andreas Balabanis also visited and was given a tour of the Getafe academy facilities.