He had a trial with Real Madrid when he was 10 years old. There were training camps at the regional level, one of them in Großkrotzenburg in the Aschaffenburg region. From there he progressed to the next round, which was in Memmingen. He prevailed there again and was then invited to Real Madrid and allowed to play in the Bernabéu.
Coach John Beam changed my life when I was a 14-year-old kid on the Skyline High football field. I still remember getting flattened in a varsity drill and looking up to see Beam standing over me, demanding more because he saw more. That was his gift. He coached football, but he taught manhood: accountability, discipline, belief in yourself long before you earned it. Beam fought for me in the classroom, pushed me on the field and helped me get to college when the odds weren't in my favor.
Arsenal's teenage prodigy Max Dowman has suffered a setback in his promising early career after sustaining ankle ligament damage during a recent friendly against Manchester United, according to The Athletic. The 15-year-old, widely regarded as one of England's brightest young attacking talents, is expected to be sidelined for around two months, though thankfully, surgery will not be required. The injury occurred during a behind-closed-doors friendly between Arsenal and Manchester United's youth sides last week.
Freshers' week, Oxford University, early October. A time for the heart to hammer with excitement, when horizons are broadened inexorably. For minimal sleep and maximum fun. And for one or two tall stories, a bit of personal reinvention, perhaps. Take one new law student at Brasenose College, because he can certainly spin a few yarns. About the time, for example, he was coached by Yaya Toure at the Tottenham academy.
There was a proud moment for the Seedorf family over the weekend as Denzel made his debut for Milan Primavera. Giovanni Renna's side had to settle for a 1-1 draw in the capital against Lazio in the end on Sunday, but they did extend their unbeaten run. Filippo Scotti fired in an equaliser not long after the Biancocelesti had gone a goal up.
The 2025 Under-17 World Cup gets under way in Qatar on Monday, with England and the Republic of Ireland among the nations involved. There will be 48 teams competing in the tournament, copying the format that will be in use at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. England's first match takes place on Tuesday against Venezuela at 15:15 GMT.
When FourFourTwo launched 31 years ago, the football landscape was different. Fabrizio Romano was still in nappies, the Premier League was in its infancy and football transfers could be made all year round. Some things haven't changed though, and that includes the giddy feeling of discovering an up-and-coming player. FFT's long-running 'The Boy's A Bit Special' series has, over three decades, been a love letter to amateur and wannabe scouts among football fandom.
Sometimes, when he drops deep, he still looks a bit raw technically, but inside the box he's a phenomenon. His ability to find the right place and to handle the ball and his ruthlessness when shooting are things I've never seen in anyone of his age,
A neuroscientist and CTE advocate (oh, and former WWE superstar), Christopher Nowinski, dedicates his social media presence to try and educate kids and parents about the dangers of concussions, particularly when it comes to playing youth football. He says that most youth football coaches don't know the first thing about coaching football at all. He also says that the average youth football coach knows little to nothing about concussions or chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain disease likely caused by repeated head injuries.
Pictures show Match Of The Day pundit Williams, 41, whose son had been playing in the Under-15s game, pointing his finger at the volunteer match official - with video showing him remonstrating with parents. Williams denies making any threats, with a source saying the ex-Everton and Swansea City defender had instead told the linesman off for swearing in front of his young daughter.
These boys were playing for Colebrook Royals, a football club in Chigwell, Essex. It was 2019 and they were in the dressing room before team practice for a photoshoot arranged by the charity YoungMinds. The plan was that, after the photos, the boys would speak to two dads Nick Easey and Ryan Smith who had lost their teenage sons to suicide. The fathers wanted the boys to share their own feelings about mental health, to normalise such conversations,
My husband's family has had a block of season tickets to our local NFL team for the past three generations. I enjoy going to the games because I like the chance for us all to be together as a family (not to mention the indulgence of stadium junk food), but I have little understanding of football. Dear Concussed Kids, I also know that those who play football are at risk of serious brain injuries.
Symington Tinto A youth football team have gained an unlikely sponsor - the rock band Franz Ferdinand. Symington Tinto 2014s picked up the backing of the Scottish group, best known for hit single Take Me Out, thanks to a friendship between a club coach and bassist Bob Hardy. Now the club are even being asked whether they will sell replica kits, featuring the band's distinctive logo.
