Abstract EN:

The growing professionalization of football brings about an increase in the number of transfers from club to club. The recruitment of older proficient and recognized players should not screen out the recruitment of younger players. Professional football clubs and the national authorities for French football play an important role in the selection and training of young football players. The national and international scenes therefore become breeding ground that is much coveted by the managers and coaches of football clubs who are seeking out budding champions. What is at stake in the recruitment of young talents is not just of an economic or legal order but equally of a spatial order. In this light and considering the rules drawn up by national and international football authorities, how should training centres go about recruiting their players ? Should all training centres elaborate their own recruiting strategies ? Where are the young players in France and in the rest of the world ? What are the new stakes involved for training centre directors recruiting young players ? What national and international strategies can be used to recruit the best young players ?