NF Academy got me to Sporting CP and Atletico Madrid

Published on: 12/02/2020
NF Academy is looking for talented young players, regardless of their nationality or gender: Cille Nilsen is the first woman joining the NF Scholarship.
NF Academy is looking for talented young players, regardless of their nationality or gender: Cille Nilsen is the first woman joining the NF Scholarship.

NF Academy got me to Sporting CP and Atletico Madrid

Despite her young age, 2006 model Cille Nilsen has already impressed enough to be rewarded with NF Academy’s International Scholarship. This has provided her with the opportunity to train with Sporting CP and Atletico Madrid’s girl academies, and represent Sporting CP at Ibercup.

The young Westerner was unknown to most when she participated at one of NF Academy’s Weekend Camps in the summer of 2018. There, she put on an impressing display and was awarded Player of the Camp and the chance to train with Sporting CP for a week. This got the ball rolling, and the ambitious Stord Boys U14 midfielder has since taken further steps towards reaching her goals.

I am very lucky to be rewarded with the scholarship. It gives me a lot of good opportunities, such as training with top academies abroad. Additionally, participation at cups and events become a lot cheaper. These are opportunities I would not have had if not for NF Academy, so I am very happy for it.

Cille Nilsen NF Academy Scholarship Player
The Sporting CP invitation: Cille Nilsen represented the Sporting CP team in the international competition IberCup 2019.

Wishes to become one of the greats

Cille makes it very clear that football is her favourite hobby, and she sounds convincing when she tells us her ultimate goal is to become world-class and represent both top clubs and the Norwegian national team. Through NF Academy, she feels she has been given an arena where she can embrace a playing philosophy inspired by her favourite team, FC Barcelona.

“NF Academy has been very important to me. It was they who first got me to Sporting CP and later Atletico Madrid. They have a great network and give me very good feedback and follow up, so I have participated in their camps several times over the last two years. I find Caroline Graham Hansen at FC Barcelona a very exciting player, so coming to the Southern European clubs where they are more ball oriented than we are in Norway fits me.”

With call-ups for the national team in Cilles age group coming up, she is hopeful that NFF shares NF Academy excitement about her. In the event that she gets her first call-up, Cille is ready for what awaits.

“I have a few trials at top-level behind me, and the first time I was called up for the regional team, I was lucky enough to be picked in the age group one year older than me. I have felt a bit nervous on my way to training and in the changing room, but when I step onto the field and get comfortable, the nervousness disappears. After all, I love playing football.”

NF Academy is not a boys’ academy

With Cille being one of the lucky few to receive our scholarship, there is no doubt she has impressed our coaches. NF Academy director João Plantier is especially impressed by the young player’s technique and positive approach to the game, no matter the challenge.

“What impresses me most about Cille, are two characteristics – the way she sees the game and how she makes the game uncomplicated with good decisionmaking, ball control and ability to make a good one-touch pass. It is also the cheerful way she accepts challenges, be it to train with a top team or compete against boys. The smile is always there!”

Read about the NF scholarship program here

NF Academy Player of the Camp
From the first reward to the NF Scholarship: Cille received in her first NF Local Camp the "Player of the Camp" reward, given by one of our Academy Directors, João Plantier.

Woman’s football is growing in popularity, with the prestige surround last year’s world cup a good example. Plantier is certainly not interested in making NF Academy a boys’ club and welcomes girls to participate in our events amidst the growing professionalism that surrounds the sport.

“The market for women’s football is growing and there is a greater concern to develop talent. Parents now have a vision of looking for the best places to develop football by bringing together the best players. Clubs begin to have professional coaches in training. In women’s football that are 100% dedicated, that was unthinkable a few years ago. Club and federation budgets have increased considerably which makes this possible. UEFA and FIFA are betting that it is mandatory that the best clubs in the world have women’s football and NF Academy is making the same bet creating opportunities for them with the scholarship and programs for girls!”

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