MLS Youth Coaches to Benefit from French Football Federation Partnership

Major League Soccer (MLS) and the French Football Federation (FFF) have struck a partnership deal that will see MLS youth academy coaches provided with world-class training.

The deal will see coaches complete a 16-month youth development course and they will also earn their Elite Formation Coaching License (EFCL).

The MLS delegation will stay at the FFF’s Clairefontaine national training facility, help where they will be guided through the same programme that French coaches receive.

However, medstore the EFCL will be customised by the MLS, the United States Soccer Federation and the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA).

MLS Executive Vice President of Player Relations & Competition, Todd Durbin said: “We are incredibly excited about this new partnership with the French Football Federation.

“As part of our vision to be among the top leagues in the world by 2022, we are committed to becoming leaders in the area of player development. This initiative will provide an important learning opportunity for MLS youth academies.”

FFF Technical Director François Blaquart added: “Through our partnership with MLS, The French Football Federation is proud and excited to be engaged in such a marvellous project.

“The expectations of MLS are very high and the FFF technical department is greatly honoured to be selected in this area.

“Our commitment with MLS will be the foundation for concrete and great development between U.S. and French football, as it mirrors the long term friendship between France and the United States.”

The FFF course will consist of eight weeks and 320 hours of field and classroom instruction and Integration of the Program with MLS Academy, which is the creation of the Club’s youth curriculum and evaluation system for the development of players.

On top of this, the coaches will have two weeks of European Club Observations, which will allow the coaches to observe an international youth academy at two of the following clubs; Paris St. Germain, Olympique Lyonnais, Real Madrid, Athletic Bilbao and VfB Stuttgart.