Arminia Bielefeld aim to develop South African football talent on and off the pitch

Arminia Bielefeld’s work in South Africa is designed to develop young people as well as footballers, according to the Bundesliga 2 club’s Head of Internationalisation Nico Luft.

The German side currently works with Bolobathaba Football Academy in Johannesburg and players from 11 schools in the surrounding region.

Luft said the partnership was based on shared learning, with Arminia Bielefeld also gaining knowledge from its South African partners rather than simply imposing its own methods.

“I believe our approach works because we see football not just as a sport, as an opportunity to develop young people and create new perspectives,” Luft told SABC Sport.

“As Arminia Bielefeld, it’s important to speak about teamwork, passion, solidarity and the development of the young talent and these values are universal and fit perfectly with the South African football landscape.

“Our goal is not simply to transfer the German model to South Africa, for us it’s really important to understand the local environment, to work closely with the people on the ground and build structures together.

“Our ambition is not only to develop better football players but also to support young people in their personal development, that’s why we think our programme works.”

The club’s links with South Africa also reflect its history. Bafana Bafana legends Sibusiso Zuma and Delron Buckley both represented Arminia Bielefeld during their playing careers.

Luft believes youth development and coach education are central to building football structures that can be maintained over the long term. He said that was particularly significant in South Africa, which has produced players who went on to represent the German club.

“For us investing in youth development and coaching education means investing in the future and for us young talent need good training opportunities and people who can guide them on their journey, that is why developing coaches is just as important as developing players,” he added.

The club’s approach includes sharing knowledge, encouraging personal contact and establishing long-term partnerships, with Luft describing Africa as a region with significant football potential.

“Africa has enormous footballing potential like I mentioned before and at the same time, we see an opportunity to make lasting contributions through knowledge sharing, personal exchange and long term collaborations,” he said.

Arminia Bielefeld also wants to build a sustainable presence in South Africa, where its connection is strengthened by the former players who represented the club.

“We want to be sustainable in the market and like you know for us, South Africa is special because we have former players from South Africa and we are really happy to be in the market,” Luft said.