This is Marc Bombardó, the newest prospect coming out of La Masia. He's known to be a strong, promising player that will hopefully find success when he becomes old enough. Now, if you pay attention you'll notice that he was born in November of 2005, meaning he is currently only 11 years old. And while it may be exciting and promising for a young boy to have such a bright future in the world of football, I can't help but wonder: is this boy too young?
There is a real tension within the structure of football academies, because they force children to be pulled away from a "normal" lifestyle and places them into this competitive, serious environment where they are trained to become the perfect model of a football player. It's a promising activity for some, but if you really think about it, are kids 11 and younger really benefitting from this loss of childhood? There are naturally long term effects to having to grow up so fast, as even children as young as Marc are being analyzed and scouted as if they were grown men. And while the reward may be great, it's also important to evaluate the cost and impact these academies may have on a child's development.
So what do you think? Is there a certain age that would be acceptable to enter into an academy? Is the idea of separating children from their families for the sake of football an ethical practice? Is it worth it if the children could be the future stars of football?
Max Pauley
ReplyDeleteInteresting read. If Marc wants to play football and enjoys playing in a competitive environment why not let him train with the best? It is a great opportunity to showcase talents and learn new skills. Ultimately, I believe it is up to the child.
You bring up a really good point! It's true that the child should have a say, but don't you think an 11 year old or younger is perhaps too young to be able to make good decisions? Don't their parents have a bit of a say?
DeleteThis is a good example that shows the intensity of these fútbol academies. They are recruiting these talented kids at such a young age and introducing them to a new life which does not give them the chance to experience a "normal childhood". Marc and other kids like him are being given the opportunities of a life time that ensure them the best training in the world and opens many doors of opportunity for success. And if the kid really is that skillful and genuinely enjoys the game, then there should be no problem with Marc and others similar to him to attend one of these academies, no matter the age.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment! Football academies really are intense, and it's true that they're getting more and more competitive as time goes on. It's probably all going to add to the sports media cultural complex as players start becoming more trained and skilled and expect more money.
DeleteRegardless of the fact that he is 11 years old, I think this is a once in a life time opportunity. In the US the odds of becoming a professional men's soccer player is 1 in 5,768. I'm sure the odds are extremely low in other parts of the world also. It is truly a gift to be that talented and one should not just throw that away. The only thing I hope is that Marc does not get burnt out from soccer. It must be strenuous physically and mentally to be training an excessive amount of hours at such a young age. If he has it in him to train and be the best I think it is truly awesome! -Emily Migliorini
ReplyDeleteThat fact about the USA is a really interesting point! It's true that since they're playing for such a long time they could become burnt out or grow to dislike the sport. It's a difficult situation because naturally you want successful football players but you don't want the child to grow to dislike a sport that they once loved. The question is, is all that really worth it.
DeleteI believe there should be some sort of age restriction for a kid to go to the academy. In terms of what the age should be, I’m not sure. All these kids know in the academy is futbol and I believe they miss out on a lot of life lessons and what it truly means to be a kid. I agree with Emily’s point above about the training being very strenuous and hopefully the academies don’t burn kids out. This is an issue that I believe UEFA should be looking into.
ReplyDelete-Cory
Thank you for your comment! While the issue is relatively regulated, it would definitely be beneficial for UEFA to get more involved if we wish to see young football players that are genuinely in love with the sport after years of play. But what would that mean for the sport in general? Could age regulation affect the quality of players available?
DeleteI believe that kids give up a great deal when they commit to joining the academy. However, I also believe that what they are signing up for is an opportunity of a lifetime. Many kids would kill to be in their shoes. But many of those kids who would kill to be in their shoes do not realize how much of a childhood the kid joining the academy really is giving up. I think there is plus's and minus's to both sides and that it is ultimately up to the child to decide what he wants to do.
ReplyDeleteYou definitely bring up a good point! It's definitely a complex issue that requires a delicate balance. Is it something that can really be efficiently regulated?
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