UAE's Top Talent for 2016/2017 Season Selected to Join the du LaLiga High Performance Centre

• Top Talents include U14 age group for the first time
• Top Talent from each category will play competitive games against LaLiga’s finest youth teams in Spain with a potential to be scouted by top LaLiga clubs

Dubai, UAE – 28 March 2017:  Following an all-day trial conducted this weekend, the UAE’s top talents for the 2016/2017 were selected this weekend, earn a coveted place at the highly acclaimed du LaLiga HPC starting in April 2017.

The country’s finest 115 footballers showcased their best football skills for the opportunity to be selected by LaLiga scouts and earn the chance to pursue their dreams for a pro-football career. 

In the final selection, 26 top talents were selected in the U16 category and 23 in the newly introduced U14 category as well as 10 talents who will join the U18 category, which comprises players selected from last year’s season.

The nationwide talent search extended to more than 7,000 aspiring footballers who took part in duFC’s UAE Schools and Streets Cups, between November 2016 and March 2017. The top talents selected from the Northern Emirates, Abu Dhabi and Dubai were invited to the final trial for the selection of the du LaLiga HPC team for this season. 

Commenting on the final selection of talents from the second season of du Football Champions Fernando Sanz, General Director, Middle East & North Africa and Head of International Projects, said, “We are very pleased to welcome this season’s UAE’s top talents to the du LaLiga High Performance Centre. Over the past six months, we have seen some very talented players across the UAE and the final selection was challenging. The players selected are the ones who have what it takes to embark on a successful pro-football career. It does not only take superior technical skills and physical abilities, but a relentless drive, commitment and dedication to continuously improve and perform to their highest potential.  We look forward to developing them with the coaching that has helped to produce the world’s best players and I am confident that some of football’s future stars will be among them.” 

Selected talents in the U16 category will travel to Spain in August together with the selected talents from the U18 category, were they will all participate in an intensive 3-week training camp and play competitive matches against top LaLiga clubs and have the opportunity to be scouted by LaLiga clubs.

The 2016/2017 du LaLiga High Performance team members are:

Goalkeepers: 

Defenders: 

Midfielders: 

Forward: