UEFA Share: Manzaroli in Belfast for Female Elite Youth Player Development

From 11 to 15 May, the Northern Irish capital Belfast hosted a new UEFA Share session dedicated to Female Elite Youth Player Development. Nine UEFA member associations took part: alongside San Marino, represented by federal board member Pierangelo Manzaroli, were Andorra, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Malta and Moldova.

A wide range of in-depth topics were covered over the days of presentations, group work and analysis of the women’s football system in Europe. From long-term development pathways for elite players to supporting talent, and including football philosophies applied to youth training methods, the women’s game was explored from every angle. There were also open discussion sessions and opportunities to share national experiences among federations of similar size – even if each has followed a different development path in this area.

Overall, and as evidenced by the data provided by UEFA’s experts, there has been remarkable growth in women’s football across Europe, from Grassroots level through to the national teams, in recent years. It is a positive trend in which San Marino can certainly claim to play its part.