Twelve weeks of effort and dedication culminated on the main training field of Pumas, in the famous Cantera, where talent is polished and professionals are formed. After an exhausting match against a lower category of Universidad Nacional, with scorching heat and the sun at its peak, the representative of Nike Academy revealed the winner of the 2017 edition: Franco Medina, a young prospect in goal, who will have the opportunity of his life in the coming days. He will be subjected to constant evaluation to determine if he has enough talent to stay in the Sub 17 team of the felinos.
The keen eye of a pair of Pumas scouts determined that Medina met the requirements needed for a prospective University National football player. Secure under the goalposts, with a commanding voice and resources that resemble a remarkable goalkeeper, he was the winner of this edition of the project. Each year, the brand with the checkmark has showcased Mexican talent and placed different prospects on the radar of various clubs, always with campaigns that highlight their qualities, as happened in 2015 with David Rodríguez, winner of the Most Wanted, and a few months ago, with Alexis Vega.
Medina's dream, which is shared by many young people, is close to coming true. Being chosen by Pumas, the goalkeeper will spend two weeks alongside the Sub 17 team to get to know him thoroughly and see how he reacts to the pressure of a highly demanding squad. After this time, it will be determined what will happen with him, although the expectation is positive and the support from the German brand is total. It will now depend solely on Franco himself and the arguments he demonstrates on the field. There are plenty of examples of cases like his, but in other countries, starting in the Academy and later making the leap to professionalism.
Just like Franco, in the recent past, since the beginning of this scouting process in 2009, several footballers have emerged practically out of nowhere and paved their way in the best leagues in the world. Serbian Petar Golubović is making his way with Novara in Italy, but until five years ago, he was a complete unknown who was a finalist and winner of The Chance and participated in the Academy held in England. From there, he received numerous call-ups to his country's youth national teams, and in 2014, he even joined the ranks of Roma.
In 2007, a Ghanaian talent named David Accam dazzled at the Right to Dream Academy, another version of the brand, and then moved to different squads in the Old Continent. From Ledbury Town to his current club, Chicago Fire, the African has shown his talent, although it seemed that he had more characteristics to exploit. He also played in the Swedish football with Ostersund and Helsingborg, but without showing much. "I have not had an easy life," he once declared to The Sun.
Perhaps the most decorated or internationally recognized footballer who recently came out of this Academy is the Australian Tom Rogic, a 24-year-old attacking midfielder who has made considerable progress since his debut. He started with Belconnen and then moved to the Central Coast Mariners; he is currently a key player for Melbourne Victory, one of the main teams in his country, but he also played for Celtic in Scotland. Since the start of his professional career, he has been considered for youth national teams and is now a cornerstone of the senior national team.
THE CURRENT STARS
Although this Academy is a global phenomenon, South America is not exempt from this program. Colombian Kevin Salazar, who now plays for Independiente de Santa Fe, was the winner of The Chance in Bogotá in 2013, which catapulted him to the international stage. He is an offensive midfielder, skilled and technical. Recently, England got to know the talent of Jorge Grant, who emerged in 2013 just like Franco and today is an indisputable part of Nottingham Forest, a team that has given him confidence and projection.
OTHER PROMINENT GRADUATES
NAME COUNTRY AGE TEAM
Kevin Salazar Colombia 21 Independiente de Santa Fe
Jorge Grant England 22 Nottingham Forest
Petar Golubović Serbia 23 Novara
Tom Rogic Australia 24 Melbourne