As they say, if you want to be the best, you have to learn from the best. And soon, young Egyptian footballers may get the chance to do exactly that as Spanish football legend Andrés Iniesta has just
opened his first football academy in North Africa.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time, the former FC Barcelona and Spain national football team star built his reputation on vision, technical precision, and intelligence on the pitch, becoming one of the defining figures behind both Barça’s golden era and Spain’s historic international dominance throughout the late 2000s and early 2010s. With a career shaped by discipline, tactical awareness, and technical mastery, opening a dedicated academy almost feels like a natural next step for the World Cup winner, who already planted roots in eight countries; namely Spain, Japan, Panama, Mexico, Nicaragua, Colombia, Chile, and El Salvador.
“I’m delighted that my project is coming to Egypt so that we can share our philosophy with the country’s young players and continue to grow the Iniesta Academy family,” the footballer said about the launch in Egypt.
Expected to focus on youth development and technical training, the academy will offer aspiring players access to coaching methods inspired by one of modern football’s sharpest minds, further reflecting the region’s growing investment in long-term sporting infrastructure and talent development.
The academy is expected to host its summer program throughout July and August at Diplo 3 on the North Coast before relocating to Cairo for full-time operations later in the year.