Aspire Academy

3 results

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer during their win over Norwich City at Old Trafford last Saturday. Photograph: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images
Middle East fears put paid to Manchester United’s winter break plans

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed that fears over safety in the Middle East mean Manchester United have changed their plans to spend the winter break (...)

Barcelona’s midfielder Xavi Hernandez is set to announce his departure on Thursday. Photo: Getty Images
Xavi announces Barcelona exit and Al Sadd deal

Barcelona captain Xavi Hernandez has announced he will join Qatari side Al-Sadd this summer, ending his 24-year run with the Catalan giants.The Spanis(...)

Older African members of the Aspire Football Dreams program watch as younger players played the visiting FC Barcelona youth team, in Doha, Qatar, on January 27th, 2014. Photograph: Bryan Denton/The New York Times
Is this the academy of dreams or exploitation?
  • Soccer
  • August 23, 2014, 10:25

A little more than a decade ago, Andreas Bleicher, then a director of one of Germany’s Olympic training centres, arrived in the tiny Persian Gulf nat(...)