Wenger and his team from the FIFA Talent Development Program are currently on a three-day visit to India on the occasion of the opening of the FIFA and FIFA Academy in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday.
India should focus on providing emerging players with the best possible technical skills before they turn 15 as a possible way to find their place on the global football map, former Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger said on Monday.
“What will football be like in 2030? How can we imagine what quality we will need in 2030? But what is certain is where to start with technique,” Wenger said. “Football is a technical sport. We have to prepare the five to 15 players to the best possible ability to be at the top of their game technically. This basically means, to put it simply, that he makes the ball his friend. The rest can be developed later. This is very vital.
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Wenger cited the example of Japan, where he was coach of Nagoya Grampus before moving to Arsenal. “I was in Japan at the beginning of their football career in 1995. In 1998, they were participating in the World Cup. That means it is possible. You have to start early,” he said.
Wenger and his team from the FIFA Talent Development Program are currently on a three-day visit to India on the occasion of the opening of the FIFA and FIFA Academy in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday.
FIFA said Wenger visited the House of Football on Monday and interacted with the heads of a selection of football academies from across the country.
Wenger said there was a “gold mine” of footballing talent in India and it needed to be exploited so that the country could play a more important role on the world stage.
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“My goal is to improve football in the world. It is impossible for a country like India, with a population of 1.4 billion people, not to be on the world football map.” “My main goal here is to convince people that there is a gold mine here, but at the moment it has not been achieved.” Explore, exploit and encourage it fully.”
Wenger, who once oversaw an unbeaten Premier League season with Arsenal during a glittering coaching career, said India had the resources to make it a success. The Indian national team has never participated in the history of the FIFA World Cup.
“I think you have huge assets and great qualities that make me very optimistic about what you can do here. It is very great to have this opportunity. Together with my team, we are very passionate about helping this country develop in the game. I am convinced that it is possible in the short term.” very”.
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First published on: 20-11-2023 at 23:56 IST