Academia Sporting

History

Inaugurated in 2002, The Sporting Academy is the first of such size and quality to be constructed in Portugal. The Academy is one of the most modern and well equipped academies in Europe; situated in a tranquil environment and climate that is recommended for the preparation of football teams. Devoted to training and management, the complex is ready to prepare for football competition of any characteristic.

The Sporting Academy is characterised by its environment of privacy: in not only being situated in a rural area but in also being monitored by various security systems. The 250 thousand square metres ( 250.000 m² ), of the sporting complex are completely covered by video surveillance and intrusion detection systems. The entrance to the Academy is a private road with a gate operating a video surveillance system that is permanently manned.

The Sporting Academy is a strategic pillar of the new Sporting. It offers excellent working conditions for professionals, as well as being the essential part in the functioning of the Club's football school for the training facilities of talents: many of whom reside in the halls provided at the academy.

Famous for its football youth academy system which features a range of well-equipped facilities and is one of the most renowned in the world, Sporting has continuously developed many world class footballers. Some of its most notable home-bred footballers include: Rui Patrício, Cédric Soares, Daniel Carriço, Marco Caneira, André Santos, André Martins, Carlos Saleiro, in the current squad, João Gonçalves (Olhanense), Nuno Reis (Cercle Brugge), Pedro Filipe Mendes (Servette), André Marques (Beira-Mar), Adrien Silva (Maccabi Haifa), Bruno Pereirinha (Vitória de Guimarães), Renato Neto (Cercle Brugge), Wilson Eduardo (Beira-Mar), Rui Fonte (Espanyol), Amido Baldé (Santa Clara), William Owusu (Cercle Brugge), in the loan. Paulo Futre (retired), Luís Figo (retired), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Nani (Manchester United), Miguel Veloso (Genoa), and Luís Boa Morte (West Ham United). The long list of valuable players who developed their skills in the youth academy of the club include other noted footballers such as Dani Carvalho (retired), who played for Ajax; former Barcelona, Chelsea, Porto and Internazionale player Ricardo Quaresma (who currently plays for F.C. Porto); former Barcelona player Simão (Besiktas J.K.); former Newcastle player Hugo Viana (Valencia); Nuno Valente former Porto Champions League winner and former Everton (who currently is assistant the current squad Sporting); and Miguel (Valencia, although he only played for the youth squads before moving to Estrela da Amadora). Sporting's youth academy was considered by Luiz Felipe Scolari (former Portugal national coach) and José Pekerman (former Argentina national coach) as one of the best sports academies in the world. It was also the home training ground for the Portugal national football team during Euro 2004. A number of European clubs choose the Sporting's Academia for training in the off-season.

The Academy (known as the Academia de Alcochete) has been renamed Sporting/Puma Academy (Academia Sporting/Puma) to reflect the sponsorship and naming contract signed by the club and the sports brand Puma in 2006; the contract lasts until 2012.

Sporting's Academy was also the first and only sports academy in Europe to receive the ISO9001:2008. – a quality certification awarded by EIC, a Portuguese anonymous society responsible for this type of reward, which is recognised both locally and internationally. This is a testimony to Sporting's excellence in several different areas, such as: their ability to raise up youngsters not only athletically, but also academically; Sporting responsibility towards ethical and social aspects, as well as their struggle to maintain the club values above everything else; quality of their infrastructures/facilities; their coaching and medical staff skills; scouting area.
In March 2010, the television channel CNN is on your television reporting on the sporting academy, where it refers to a million people migrate to the "factory of talents".

In June 2010, the Sporting signed the first contract for consultancy in sports training at the international level, with Al-Ahli Saudi Soccer Academy, from Saudi Arabia, a partnership that will last for three years.