FC Tokyo has entered into a strategic partnership with SL Benfica, which belongs to the Primeira Liga (Portugal's top division). We would like to inform you of this.
□Purpose and Content of Partnership
We will establish a technical partnership with a strong team in Europe, recognized as top-class in discovering and developing talented players, and promote the sharing of best practices, knowledge, resources, and personnel exchanges between the two clubs.
This partnership will add new perspectives and standards to FC Tokyo's talent discovery and development environment. It will also create opportunities for talented players, including young players from the top team as well as the academy, to gain experience playing in Portugal.
Additionally, through the visits of consultants a few times a year, we aim to share the expertise of SL Benfica across the entire football department, expanding opportunities for discovering and developing the next generation of talent, as well as promoting the overall development of the club's football aspects, including strengthening and football business.
□About SL Benfica
Founded in 1904, it is one of the three major clubs in Portugal, based in the capital city of Lisbon, and is considered a highly regarded big club in Europe.
【Results (Europe)】
UEFA Champions League (Cup) Champion 2 times, Runner-up 8 times
【Results (Domestic)】
Most league championships in Portugal: 38 times, Cup victories: 26 times
Ranked 9th in the "Best Club of the 20th Century" list announced by IFFHS in 2009.
□Comment
Benfica
・Miguel Reis Global Expansion Coordinator
"FC Tokyo is a historic club with ambition, vision, and an excellent academy organization for youth development. Despite being geographically distant, both clubs prioritize player development and talent cultivation, and there are many commonalities in this partnership."
・David Gomes Technical Coordinator of Benfica’s International Programs
"For SL Benfica, it is a great opportunity to collaborate with young athletes who possess highly regarded abilities such as excellent technical skills and very high motivation. This challenge is truly significant, and we hope to greatly contribute to making FC Tokyo the benchmark club for youth training in Japan."
FC Tokyo
・Shigeya Kawagishi, President and CEO
"I am very pleased to announce our partnership with SL Benfica in this way. By partnering with SL Benfica, a strong team in Europe known for player development and scouting, we can enhance collaboration in our strengthening department and facilitate personnel exchanges in our academy. Every J-League club invests in their academy. Through this partnership, we believe we can provide high-quality career options for our academy players. This is also a significant benefit for the players currently enrolled, and we believe it will greatly contribute to our club's future scouting and recruiting activities in the academy. Through the exchange of knowledge and collaboration in player development between both clubs, we aim to contribute not only to the academy field but also to the overall development of FC Tokyo as a club."
・Mitsushiro OBARA GM
"Through this partnership, we expect to contribute to the further development of our academy department, which won the Best Youth Development Club Award for the third time last season. At the same time, we will be able to share insights on team building and player squad composition in the strengthening department, as well as information from the European market. By gaining insights from them, who continue to win titles while also realizing profits from player transfers, we ultimately aim to strengthen the football aspect of the entire club and improve revenue."
