FC Tokyo has established a strategic partnership with SL Benfica, which belongs to the Primeira Liga (Portuguese League Division 1). 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 talent discovery and development, 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, to gain experience playing in Portugal.
Additionally, through the visits of consultants to Japan several 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 titles in Portugal: 38 times, Cup victories: 26 times
Ranked 9th in the "Best Club of the 20th Century" list published 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 valued abilities such as excellent technical skills and a very high level of motivation. This challenge is truly significant, and we hope to greatly contribute to making FC Tokyo a benchmark club in Japan for youth training."
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 a significant benefit for the players currently enrolled, and I 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 not only advance our academy but also contribute to the overall development of FC Tokyo as a club."
・Mitsushiro OBARA GM
"We expect that this partnership will 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, it will allow us 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 realizing profits from player transfers, we ultimately aim to strengthen the football aspect of the entire club and improve revenue."
