"We send to the United States a hundred players a year"

Here we go again for new FFFUSA detection sessions, or the opportunity to join the United States thanks to a university scholarship. One of the agency's co-founders, Edouard Lacroix, talks about the success of the program and the novelties for this year.

For people who do not know FFFUSA, how would you summarize its principle in a few words?

It is a program in partnership with the French Football Federation that accompanies players with a good sport level to study in the United States. So we intervene in the training centers pros, but for two years we have also opened detections amateur players who want to invest in the project.

And what are the values ​​of FFFUSA?

We know how a pro career is precarious because it can switch overnight … And, only 8% of players in training center become professionals, so we are there for the remaining 92% by offering an academic alternative. The idea is to tell them: a pro career is still quite conceivable, but at least, if you do not go pro you will have a degree in American university that will allow you to bounce back. Rather than go to D2 Cypriot or Bulgarian D2, and end up with nothing at 25 … We are on long-term values, not in the snapshot.

Are you starting your 5th year of partnership with the FFF, what is your view of the road traveled?

We have become the agency that "draft" the most pros players each year. According to the American coaches, we propose the best quality of detection players in the world. At the same time, we are the only agency that has a partnership with a football federation. We send to the United States a hundred French players per year. We made a big advance in the market, and it's a big pride!

In the United States, are French players popular?

Yes, they are very special players in the eyes of American recruiters. Thanks to our partnership with the FFF, the opportunity is very well known by the training center players. American coaches know that we have the best players on the market, so they are very attentive during our detections in France. Last season, William James Hervé, a player who went through our system of detections, was a major player in Maryland's final victory in the D1 NCAA. It's super positive!

Are new things planned this year?

The American coaches will travel twice to observe the players, in December and in March, with always our big final on two days in Clairefontaine at the beginning of March. We organize a monthly detection in Paris, usually on the last Friday of each month. Plus, one or two detections per month in the province. We will be hosted once again by professional training centers during our detections.

The dates of the next detections:

• Friday, September 27, 2019, in Paris
• Thursday, October 10, 2019, in Toulouse
• Wednesday, October 25, 2019, in Nice
• Monday, October 30, 2019, in Rennes

More information on the site of FFFUSA.