Partnership with ECADInt for the construction of ten facilities

Following on from Canada and South Africa, the Sporting Academy Schools have now arrived in China! Through a partnership with the company ECADInt, a total of ten Sporting Academy Schools will be built around the world's most populous nation.

The partnership was officially signed off this morning in Estádio José Alvalade, signaling a giant step for Sporting on the international stage. “This is an important day for us. We want to show people the real dimension of this Club and this is confirmation that the world sees the value of Sporting. We are a global club, with Members and fans around the world and this is the result of the hard working people have been putting in. Now in Asia, the first step has been taken in the heart of China", said the Sporting President Bruno de Carvalho at the signing, continuing: “We have been looking to develop the Sporting brand abroad and the construction of Sporting Academy Schools in China and this partnership with ECADInt really contributes to that. This link between our two countries is massively important. China is developing football and their government is really backing the sport. Sporting is a strategic partner for training good local players to team up with the really good names who are already playing in China."

The Ballo d'Or winners Cristiano Ronaldo and Luís Figo are both products of the famous Alvalade youth system, acting as the benchmark for all promising young stars learning the trade at the Sporting Academy Schools.

“Cooperaiton between Portuguese and Chinese companies has been increasing and Portuguese football is really relevant. The Sporting Academy Schools are really good and the players who come out of them are known for their quality. This partnership leaves football in China on a good footing for the future", explained Xu Weili, Chinese Consul, in a backing reaffirmed by the president of ECADInt Portugal, Lin Han: "We wanted to being together people's desire to develop sport in China with Sporting's knowledge. Investment helps develop football in our country, but only the knowledge and talent of this Club can make it brilliant."

President Bruno de Carvalho, who will take advantage of Sporting's Europa League visit to Moscow (26th of November) to travel to Beijing to take part in a similar ceremony, went on to explain the difference between the Sporting Academy Schools and other youth systems around the world, paving the way for initiatives like the partnership with ECADInt: “The main focus of the agreement is building ten Academy Schools in China and we will be working on other initiatives too. ECADInt are 100% with us and contrary to other clubs, Sporting doesn't give its brand to anybody, we just work with local partners. That allows us to visit the spaces which we have built on a regular basis. We follow our Academies closely and that makes the difference. It is really important for Chinese footballers that we pay attention to the players at the Academies and one of the most important vectors is promoting the development of players with our know-how, but we will also be working with the coaches and teachers. We are open to exchange programmes with players from the Sporting Academy Schools in China, like we have done with the Toronto Academy for example."

“A lot of national and international clubs would like to be sitting here signing this partnership. Our policy focuses on training and Sporting will carry on to be a reference in the area. Training is in our DNA and that is why people recognise our capacity. this is a really important day for our Club and for Portugal, because Sporting is an ambassador for this country and we will continue to be", finished the Alvalade boss.