Burkina Faso: the FBF strengthens talent development in Bobo-Dioulasso

The main objective of this workshop was clear: organize the training sector, regulate the functioning of the centers, and ensure regular monitoring of their activities in the player development process. It is part of the implementation of FIFA’s talent development program in Burkina Faso, under the supervision of the National Technical Directorate of the FBF.

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“You know, to develop talent, you need a well-structured framework, with the necessary conditions and skills. You need an organized talent training system to achieve good results. So, to get there, we need to certify the academies, certify all training structures. Certification means organization, establishing creation criteria, operational criteria, and performance criteria,” said Pascal Yougbare, National Technical Director of the Burkina Faso Football Federation.

For 48 hours, participants attended several presentations, notably on setting up a classification system and on identifying structures that meet the technical, administrative, and organizational requirements necessary to effectively support the development of future Burkinabè internationals. These discussions were marked by strong involvement from the participants.

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Raymond Papy Dagba, vice-president in charge of the grassroots, youth, and school and university football commission at the FBF, praised the quality of the debates: “There were a lot of discussions about this, as you saw. Everyone was passionate, there were many amendments, and I think, I am convinced, that all those who took part in this workshop will leave with a new vision of development football. To develop talent, you have to put frameworks in place. And to set up frameworks, there have to be standards, criteria. That is what was planned in this workshop, and it is a good sign for the development of football.”

The feedback from participants confirms the positive impact of the workshop. Ousmane Compaoré, football coach, emphasized: “It was time for such a project to come onto the program to clarify a number of things in the field of youth training. So, there were debates, there were exchanges, and truly, I can say that it was a complete satisfaction.”

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For his part, Adama Ouédraogo, participant and federal actor within a training structure, stated: “I leave this training satisfied, because we learned a lot about training centers, about training structures in general, and as a federal actor and also as someone who works in a training structure. It equipped us, and now all that’s left is the practical application, and we will try to put into practice what we have learned.”

This workshop marks an important milestone in the desire of the Burkina Faso Football Federation to professionalize and regulate the training of young talents. By establishing clear certification standards, the FBF aims to lay the foundations of a structured system capable of sustainably producing high-level players.