​Samir Xaud, president of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), spent part of Sunday (12) at Granja Comary in Teresópolis (RJ) observing the Brazil U-17 National Team as they prepared for the FIFA U-17 World Cup. The visit occurred during a focused training session led by head coach Carlos Eduardo Patetuci, with Xaud closely watching the players and the on-field activities while speaking with members of the coaching staff. This moment underscored the CBF’s commitment to a development model that ties together the various age-group teams, promoting the ongoing growth of young talents within Brazilian football.
During the visit, Xaud emphasized that integration across the youth categories is a core pillar of the federation’s strategy. He articulated a vision in which athletes experience a unified playing philosophy, internalize the identity of the Brazilian National Teams, and enjoy a more natural transition between age groups. “Integration among the youth categories is one of the pillars of our work,” he said. “We want the athletes to experience the same playing style, understand who we are as a national team, and move smoothly from one category to the next.”
Xaud also highlighted the critical role of alignment among coaching staffs throughout the development process. He noted that when coaches collaborate—sharing information, methodologies, and monitoring players’ progression—Brazilian football benefits as a whole. “When the coaching staffs work in an integrated way, Brazilian football benefits. We are building an environment that fosters the growth of our talents from the youth levels onward,” he stated, underscoring the value of a cohesive approach to talent development.
The broader aim of this collaborative approach has been to strengthen the ties among Brazil’s youth national teams. By enhancing collaboration between the teams’ coaching staffs and enabling mutual oversight of training activities, the federation seeks to ensure consistency in concepts and continuity in player development. During this preparation phase, U-20 head coach Paulo Victor and assistant Lucas Andrade joined the U-17 sessions at Granja Comary, reinforcing alignment of tactical concepts and supporting the seamless progression of players through different age groups.
Sunday’s session marked another milestone in the Brazil U-17 National Team’s journey toward the FIFA U-17 World Cup, scheduled for November in Qatar. The squad will reconvene next month to continue preparing for what promises to be a demanding season. The ongoing integration among the country’s youth national teams aims to provide players with a stable, well-signposted pathway from the earliest stages of development through to the senior ranks.
This article was translated into English with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in Portuguese here.