10 Faroese coaches in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

31st of January to 9th of February 2020

The great Faroese author William Heinesen (1900-1991) once described the Faroe Islands in his book The Lost Musicians (1950) as:

“Far out in the mercury-luminous ocean is a lonely little lead-colored land. The tiny rocky land is similar to the great ocean, like a grain of sand to the floor of a ballroom.

But seen under magnifying glass, this grain of sand is nevertheless a whole world of mountains and valleys, straits and fjords and houses with small people. Yes, somewhere there is even a whole little old town with jetties and warehouses, streets and alleys and steep alleys, gardens and squares and cemeteries. There is also an old solemn church, from whose tower you can overlook the roofs of the city and, if you look further, the mighty sea.”

The Faroe Islands has national teams in all age groups, men and women, participate in Qualifications for the World Cup Finals, Qualifications for the European Cup Finals and as well our clubs take participation in the Qualifications Groups for the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA League.

Why would a Faroese delegation visit a destination as far away as Brazil? Why would a dwarf in football matters pay visit to the giant footballing nation of Brazil? But apart from the Atlantic Ocean we have a connection through soccer. Same interests, same love and same endless passion but obviously on a smaller scale.

No country has captured the soul of the game to the same extent as Brazil. The country’s distinctive yellow-shirted and blue-shorted players have thrilled generations of football fans, have produced some of the game’s greatest moments, and no FIFA World Cup tournament would be the same without them. Brazil – the nation that gave birth to Pelé, Garrincha, Zico, Ronaldo and Kaká – are the only team to have appeared in the finals of every FIFA World Cup, and have won the competition a record-breaking five times.

The decision to visit Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and CBF came to mention because of the great possibility to see how TOP football works in the World. To visit the department of football and development of youth players, scout of player’s performances, the structure in Teresópolis, the Museum in Barra da Tijuca and the famous Maracanã Stadium (also the Museum), as to see big clubs’ structure and football schools would most definitely increase in large steps our knowledge in all levels of football. FSF (the Football Federation of the Faroe Islands) as integrated to UEFA has total interest to advance the knowledge, capacitance and development of clubs and coaches, as well as the youth players in Brazil.

10 football coaches from the Faroe Islands then paid visit to Rio de Janeiro from 31st of January to 9th of February 2020. All the coaches are equipped with UEFA A license and some of them are National Youth Coaches as well. Through the last years and in association with DBU (Denmark Football Association) and VFF (the Faroese Football Coaches Association) they have paid visits to different countries like Sweden, the Netherlands, Republic of Ireland, Denmark, Iceland and there visiting the FA's, congresses, courses and clubs.

In advance the Faroese Football Coaches Association already had made contacts with Pelé's Academy (Mr. Mello, Pedro), Jairzinho Football Academy (through Valtinho, ex-football player), Fluminense F.C. (Mr. Veiga, Marcelo and Mr. Cintra Jr, Carlos Eugênio). C.R. Vasco da Gama (Mr. Rocha, Clauber Antunes), Botafogo F.R. (Mr. Perlingiero, Roberto), C.R. Flamengo (Fabiano) as well as contacts with ex-football player and Conmebol Cup Champion Mr. Silva, Claudio Henrique (Football School for poor kids) and all were able to receive our group of coaches.

On our short visit we watched 5 games of both men and women. We paid visit to the three biggest clubs in Rio de Janeiro and in Brazil as well (Botafogo, Flamengo and Fluminense), where we observed training and got explanations about training, content and organizing. We paid visit to a smaller club (Resende), which has an academy named after the great Pelé. Pelé Academia collaborates with the big French club Olympique Lyonnais and even two times we were invited to the Brazilian Football Confederation.

The big conclusions on Brazilian football were these two:

1. Futsal is the foundation in football concerns – the futsal training is a combined part of the soccer learning until the players reach an approximately age of 12 or 13
2. The training mainly consist of functional training or in other words gameplay with team mates and opponents. The reason is that the players competence is of such high quality, that they are able to play the game and as such, use much lesser time to coach the basics without opponents. Futsal training and self-education on the streets, alleys and fields teaches the basics!

We learned a little about the Brazilian football and the Brazilian way, growing in this way a giant leap in our small country of football matters.