FC Midtjylland Academy is the

youth academy In sporting terminology, a youth system (or youth academy) is a youth investment program within a particular team or league, which develops and nurtures young talent in farm teams, with the vision of using them in the first team in the future if t ...

FC Midtjylland FC Midtjylland (, "Central Jutland") is a Danish professional football club based in Herning and Ikast in the western part of Jutland. The club is the result of a merger between Ikast FS and Herning Fremad. Midtjylland competes in the Danish Supe ...

. The academy consists of youth teams on under-19, under-17 and under-15 basis.

History

FC Midtjylland Academy is the first Danish football academy based on the academy of

FC Nantes Atlantique Football Club de Nantes (; Gallo: ''Naunnt''), commonly referred to as FC Nantes or simply Nantes (), is a French professional football club based in Nantes in Pays de la Loire. The club was founded on 21 April 1943, during World War II, as ...

. All the players live at Sportcenter Ikast, where they also train up to nine times a week. Around eight players in every year usually get a contract with the club. The academy places the social development of its scholars as a priority, and every student follows a regular schooling at either Idrætsefterskolen i Ikast, Ikast Handelsskole or

Ikast Gymnasium Ikast is a Danish town in the Mid Jutland Region (''Midtjylland''). It is the seat of Ikast-Brande Municipality since 2007. It was the seat of the former Ikast Municipality. Geography The town is situated in the middle of Jutland. The town is ...

and takes part in the daily life of the school.

Notable players

Players who have begun their careers at the FC Midtjylland Acedmy include Danish international

Simon Kjær Simon Thorup Kjær (born 26 March 1989) is a Danish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for club AC Milan and captains the Denmark national team. He was named 2007 Danish under-19 talent of the year and 2009 Danish Talent of t ...

and New Zealand international

Winston Reid Winston Wiremu Reid (born 3 July 1988) is a New Zealand professional footballer who last played as a defender for club West Ham United. He captained the New Zealand national team. He has also played for Midtjylland with loan periods at Sport ...

. The academy has developed a number of talents from Midtjylland's linked clubs in Nigeria, including Izunna Uzochukwu, Jude Nworuh,

Baba Collins Babajide "Baba" Collins Babatunde (born 2 December 1988) is a Nigerian former professional Association football, footballer who played as a forward (association football), forward. Career Collins began his career by FC Ebedei played there betwee ...

and Adigun Salami. Other Danish players to have attended the academy include Joachim Andersen,

Christian Sivebæk Christian Sivebæk (born 19 February 1988) is a retired Danish professional footballer. He is son of the former Denmark international, John Sivebæk. Career Club Sivebæk began his youth career with Vejle Boldklub . In 2005, he signed his fir ...

Jesper Juelsgård Jesper Lindorff Juelsgård (born 26 January 1989) is a Danish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Danish 1st Division side FC Fredericia. Club career Juelsgård is a product of Midtjylland's football academy, which he join ...

Mads Albæk Mads Albæk (born 14 January 1990) is a Danish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for SønderjyskE. He has also represented the Danish national under-21 team. Youth career Born in Roskilde, Albæk began his footballing career st ...

, Erik Sviatchenko and Jonas Lössl.

External links

FC Midtjylland Academy
at

's website

Academy An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosop ...

Midtjylland Academy Midtjylland Academy Midtjylland Academy {{Denmark-footyclub-stub