Success in the 1st edition of the Road to Benfica Campus

BTV REPORT

The 1st edition of the "Road to Benfica Campus" ended on Sunday, April 9th. It was an innovative program launched by the International Department that brought together teams with technical partnerships with Sport Lisboa e Benfica in a training camp at Benfica Campus, where they tested the working methodology of the Eagles.

During one week, from April 1st to 9th, four teams with players from Scotland, England, Norway, Sweden, United States, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Argentina, South Africa and Japan trained at Benfica Campus and prepared for their participation in the IberCup Cascais 2023 tournament.

The innovative program, developed by Benfica for youngsters coming from different competitive contexts, allowed the work methodology taught by the Club's coaches, in partnership with the respective coaching staffs, to improve skills to be applied in competition.

The committed and cooperative way in which the teams worked contributed to the Scots of Coerver Coaching winning the IberCup Silver Cup in the U-15 age group and to the North Americans of FC Sudamerica reaching the U-17 women's final in the same competition, where they were defeated in the penalty shootout.

Gordon Craig, director of Coerver Scotland & Portugal, praised the experience at the Benfica Campus. "We are very pleased with the long-term partnership we have with Benfica. The 'Road to Benfica Campus' is an innovative program that we have built in partnership with Benfica and takes us to another level. The boys return home with a cup and the Benfica coaches in their hearts. We will prepare now for next year, to bring more young people to this great soccer experience", he said.

Rudi Pires, director of development of FC Sudamerica, said that it was possible to get into the Benfica mentality and hopes to "grow rapidly" in the coming years.

"We couldn't have started this technical partnership with Benfica better. The  'Road to Benfica Campus' is a perfect and immersive um program. We got into the Reds' mentality. We had high expectations, we prepared our teams during the last months, but this week in Lisbon has exceeded what we thought, from the men's program to the women's program, the mix of 11-a-side soccer with futsal, the quality of the coaches...  It was the first opportunity for these young South Americans, who live in the United States, to come to Europe to test their talent. There is a lot to learn, but we realize that, with Benfica's support, we will grow tremendously in the coming years. It was amazing to reach the women's final against Sporting, a competition where a new star shone, Tuscany Khachab, who dreams of playing for Benfica one day", she revealed.

The participants in the "Road to Benfica Campus" had also the opportunity to take part in futsal training sessions and to visit Estádio da Luz and the Benfica Museum – Cosme Damião.