FC Dallas has announced a unique partnership that aligns it with an accomplished club in European soccer.
The club has agreed to a player development partnership with SL Benfica, a Portugal-based UEFA Champions League club, that will allow players from each other’s youth academies and the organization’s coaches the opportunity to collaborate on training and coaching techniques and strategies that contribute to their professional development as well as cultural experiences that enrich their personal lives.
“Developing talent from within is one of our core philosophies at FC Dallas,” FC Dallas president Dan Hunt said in a press release. “Partnering with a club that shares our commitment and has the legacy and talent that Benfica possesses allows both of us to keep creating incredible opportunities for athletes and soccer professionals globally.”
SL Benfica is a 38-time league champion and two-time European Cup champion and has received awards for its academy. With the growth of soccer in the United States and the reputation of FC Dallas’ academy, which has promoted an MLS-best 37 players to its first team during its existence, the club saw the opportunity as an incredible chance to tap into the U.S. market.
“The United States is a strategic market for Benfica’s growth strategy,” Benfica vice president Manuel de Brito added in the press release. “Soccer has been the fastest-growing sport among young people in the U.S and Benfica has been very actively looking for opportunities for the last two years. We believe this partnership will help us increase our presence in the U.S. FC Dallas is the leading youth soccer academy in America, as numerous former FC Dallas Academy players are in the national teams of the United States, Mexico, and Canada. So, approaching FC Dallas was a natural step for Benfica. Possibilities are endless, and I believe this partnership will be a success.”
