 | |||
| Founded | 2009 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Dissolved | 2017 | ||
| Ground | St George's Park Burton upon Trent, England | ||
| Capacity | 3,100[1] | ||
| League | Friendlies | ||
|
| |||
The Nike Football Academy was an English football academy funded and administered by Nike, Inc. The academy had a revolving squad of unsigned under-20 players and was run with the intention of helping them find a professional club. The academy was based at St George's Park National Football Centre.[2] The squad was made up of players scouted worldwide and drafted to the squad through Nike Most Wanted trials. Over 50 players have gone on to play professional football over the years. The programme was led by manager Jon Goodman, with former Wolverhampton Wanderers player Matt Murray who worked as assistant manager.[3]
The programme was also known for its collaborations with world class players, including Sami Khedira, Joe Hart, Rio Ferdinand, Francesco Totti, Mario Götze and others. Players such as David Accam, Tom Rogić, Majeed Waris, Petar Golubović and Evan Dimas are graduates of the programme.[4]
The academy regularly played exhibition matches facing teams like FC Barcelona,[5] Arsenal,[6] Inter Milan,[7] Manchester United and others.
The academy closed at the end of the 2016–17 season.[8]
