It’s easy to see why so many kids are interested in football… Football is the most popular and accessible sport in the world, and football sessions are a great place for children to make friends with many different but also like-minded people. The game is fun, high energy, and allows kids to develop many of their skills which can be used later on in life.

With the popularity of this sport, it’s not surprising that there are also many academies in the UK. Here are just a few of the top football academies for kids in the UK.

Pro Football Academies

Arsenal FC Academy

For years and years, Arsenal has been producing player after player from their academy, all of excellent talent and great skill. Tony Adams, a household name, devoted his career to this club after ‘graduating’ the Arsenal academy into games. Andy Cole, Ray Parlour, Martin Keown – these are just a few of the names of Arsenal FC Academy graduates who went on to represent Arsenal in matches.

Some graduates even perform across Europe, like Wojciech Szczesny at Juventus.

Southampton FC Academy

Differing from Arsenal in terms of history, Southampton still has one of the best academies in England and has done for many years.

Alan Shearer, a recognisable name, was the Premier League top scorer and he was formed at this very club. Graduates from Southampton football academy have been displaying some great performances for teams all across England; Manchester United, Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur. For quite some time now, Southampton FC has been producing some real quality players.

As it stands, this football academy is also one with the most graduates which means this academy is the also the one with the best chance of breaking through to the first team!

Liverpool FC Academy

Liverpool FC, in previous years, has been one of England’s most successful teams both domestically and throughout Europe. The history is very rich, producing players with Merseyside style and pitch values. Some of the greats from this academy are very well-known names:

Steven Gerard; Jamie Carragher; Robbie Fowler; Michael Owen… The list goes on.

Newer players may not yet be considered household names but they’ve certainly been racking up the attention over the years.

Ertheo Educational Consultant

Ertheo is a multi-national education and sports centre that is designed for student athletes. They have football academies located in Spain, England, and the USA which are available all year round, and summer camps that take place from June to August. Ertheo’s football camps are affiliated with some world-famous clubs such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Tottenham, and Manchester City with specialised programs also available, such as specialised goalkeeper training and high performance training.

Football Academies for Children

Kixx Football Academy

Children’s football training at Kixx offers a fun, creative, and age-appropriate introduction to physical activity through football. The training sessions at Kixx Football Academy have been carefully designed for both boys and girls from the ages 18 months – 10 years old. Their innovative curriculum emphasises the physical and social development football can have on toddlers.

Not only do the sessions provide a fun and safe environment that encourages children, but they were also created and developed by professional footballers and trained coaches. They use the best and most appropriate games, drills, and exercises for the different age-group sessions.

Manchester City Young Player Development Programme

The Manchester City Football School allows any 5 to 14 year old train, develop, and have fun in the same place where elite footballers are made – the City Football Academy. Children of all abilities can start their football journey here, experiencing the Manchester City style of training and the playing philosophy. Every session is delivered by established MC coaches who cater for every skill level and provide a safe learning environment full of positivity and fun.