Following the Address of the Head of State, which raised the need to develop mass sport, improve public health and promote children’s and youth football, in 2023 DOSCAR GROUP, together with the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Spain, began talks with the Spanish football club Atlético Madrid and took the initiative of opening a children’s football academy in Kazakhstan. Over the course of a year DOSCAR GROUP held active negotiations with the Spanish club’s management, in which it brought all interested parties into the project.

So June 2024 was marked by an event of global significance — an agreement was reached to create an Academy of the Spanish football giant Atlético Madrid in Kazakhstan. This will be the first official Atlético Madrid children’s and youth football academy in the CIS.

Atlético Madrid football club, founded in 1903, deservedly holds an honoured place among the most decorated and respected clubs of Spain and Europe. The club takes pride in its many victories in La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Europa League, in its outstanding achievements in the Champions League, and is renowned for its legendary youth Academy, which has raised more than one generation of football stars.

Today young and talented footballers of Kazakhstan will have the chance to study and train using methods recognised by the world football community. Some of the students will receive grants for free tuition at the Academy. The best pupils will get a unique opportunity to train at Atlético Madrid’s facilities in Spain. To improve adaptation to foreign championships, English and Spanish language courses will be organised at the Academy.

The Atlético Madrid Kazakhstan Academy sets itself fundamental goals: to provide high-quality football education based on Atlético Madrid’s methodology, which is an integral part of the learning process. Professional Spanish coaches focus on individual work with every player to develop their technical and tactical skills. Particular attention is paid to preparing athletes for the heavy physical and psychological demands of professional football. One of the Academy’s key priorities is supporting young talents in their ambition to break into the professional clubs of Europe’s leading leagues and the national team.
The Academy will be built in the picturesque area of Talgar, at the Akbulak Olympic Centre. It will be equipped with modern facilities for training and study: high-quality natural and artificial pitches, modern gyms with the latest equipment, classrooms with advanced multimedia, rehabilitation centres, comfortable spacious changing rooms, rest areas, and a hotel complex and dormitory for the players. The Academy’s unique location will help develop tourism in the region and have a positive effect on the local economy, raising the country’s investment appeal. It is worth noting that under the terms of the agreement the core coaching staff of the Kazakh Atlético Madrid Academy will be made up of certified coaches from Spain.
“The opening of our Academy in Kazakhstan is not just an event, it is a real revolution in the world of football. We are convinced that Kazakh children have enormous potential, and our Academy will become a place where great footballers are born. We will bring here our methodology, our experience and our relentless drive to win, in order to take the level of football in the country to new heights,” says Emilio Gutiérrez Bolouza, Director of Academy Development and International Cooperation at Atlético Madrid. The launch of the Academy in Kazakhstan is a joint effort of the association “Confederation of Combat Sports and Strength Sports” and Atlético Madrid football club, with the support of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Kazakhstan Football Federation.
The project opens a new chapter in the development of Kazakh football, giving young and talented players great opportunities to grow and improve. The opening of the Atlético Madrid Kazakhstan Academy will be a powerful impulse for the development of football in Kazakhstan and Central Asia.