Lidl International’s Post

So you want to play #soccer in Europe/#Germany!? What are the biggest hurdles for players from U.S. Soccer Federation & Canada Soccer? Part 2: “soccer finds you and not the other way around” In UEFA /DFB and it’s professional leagues like Bundesliga or in the academy system U12 to U21/23 we have a saying: „soccer finds you“ which means that if you have talent and/or quality for the pro game sooner or later a professional club will notice and „find you“, because the scouting system in Europe is very good and all the clubs have a scouting department no matter if it’s a big club like FC Bayern München , Borussia Dortmund, etc. or smaller clubs like for example SV Stuttgarter Kickers e.V. (Jochen Haberle) the club where Juergen Klinsmann started his career. So young and talented players will be noticed and get opportunities during their academy (U12 to U21/23) time or even after this if a club has a need or sees something in them. In Major League Soccer , United Soccer League (USL) , National Independent Soccer Association or Canadian Premier League and it’s academies the scouting is not that developed yet and European clubs sometimes do not follow North American soccer too much, etc. so a player who has the dream to play in UEFA or #Germany /DFB does not get on their radar. To make the move and fulfill his dream the player needs to make sure that clubs overseas in Europe get to know the player. Therefore the #agent needs to know the market in the country the player wants to play, best speak the language of this country and know most (better all/100%) of the soccer clubs, their sport directors, scouts, coaches, etc.. Also important is the knowledge about the #law in this country, #visa rules and #immigration regulations to assist the clubs during the signing or work visa process. If done the right way signing a player with U.S. or Canadian passport is pretty easy especially in countries like Germany, because of the approx. 150 clubs in the relevant leagues like Bundesliga 1,2 or 3. Liga or Regionalliga Südwest, Regionalliga Nord , West, Bavaria or Nord-Ost or one of the 3 Bundesliga U19 leagues and § 26 BeschV. Some years ago my #lawfirm created a paper on this topic:

In a recent post, I stated the financial imbalance between Premiership Rugby, United Rugby Championship & The #Top14, driven by media rights that are considerably greater in favour of the #French League, will see the conitunued outflow of British Players to #France to seek greater renumeration. It's pretty much 101 #supplyanddemand #ecomomics. However, there is a further underlining issue that is much more difficult for the #PremiershipRugby to rectify that puts them at a long-term competitive disadvantage. Over the last couple of decades with heathly promotion and relegation, we've seen the emergence of well-financed 'large-market' city clubs, evenly distributed across France, rise to the top of the #Top14, while many of the traditional 'smaller-town' South-West clubs now residing in #ProD2 or even below. Whereas, the #English league has, for all intents and purposes, become a pseudo ‘closed league’, with clubs residing in the smaller towns or city suburds. The #Premiership has no representation in many of the major city markets, leading to a geographical non-profit maximization scenario. In simple terms if you were starting from scratch Club's would ideally be evenly spread across all the major city markets, in order to maximise the league's audience and revenue potential. The ownership and governance structure of the #Premeriship, where incumbent clubs, along with CVC Capital Partners, own the league and make all the decisions, will naturally, lean strongly towards promoting the continuation of the status quo in terms of it's club representation. Turkeys are not going to vote for Christmas! It therefore seems logical to assume, with this along the media rights disparity, the English are in danger of being in a long-term state of systemic negative competitive imbalance in relation to their French counterparts and number one competitors. #Rugby #SportsEconomics #EnglandRugby #FrenchRugby #economics #sportseconomy #CVC #privatequity #competition England Rugby FFR - Fédération Française de Rugby Ligue Nationale de Rugby European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) World Rugby Rugby Europe Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) WRU - Welsh Rugby Union Scottish Rugby

As I’ve been reminded by many of my Aussie colleague’s this month, football did not come home again... however there's no argument to the spectacle that was UEFA EURO 2024, it was brimming with entertainment, controversy, and of course money! 👀 Lets dive into the key facts and finances behind one of Europe's biggest tournaments. 🏆 Euro Glory: La Roja Triumph in Berlin Despite high hopes, the youthful Three Lions side narrowly missed immortal status earlier this month. Instead, it was La Roja and their youngest ever scorer, Lamine Yamal, who clinched their record breaking fourth European Championship title on a memorable night in Berlin, denying another promising generation of English talent since '66. 🤑 Financial Rewards in International Football The European Championship is not just about glory. There’s significant financial reward. Interestingly, UEFA distributed a total of £278m for participating teams, the same level as in 2020. Rare in the modern game to see no change in prize money. ⚽ Player Remuneration: Pride Over Pay Players don’t receive a fixed salary for the Euros. Instead, they earn through: Per Diems: For days spent training and away from home. Bonuses: Based on performance. Each nation has its own payment structure, so there is no one-size-fits-all approach for compensating players in Europe's biggest tournament. #euros #football #soccer #sportsfinance #sportsbusiness

⚽️Why is the Great Britain Football Team not participating in the Paris Olympics 2024? The absence of a Great Britain's football team at the Olympics is primarily due to the disagreement and lack of consensus among the four home nations (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland). Here are the key reasons: ▶️Fear of precedent: Concerns exist that participating as a unified team could establish a precedent leading to similar arrangements in FIFA and UEFA competitions, where the home nations prefer to compete independently. (It's more of if they can compete as one in the Olympics, then they can also compete as one in UEFA and FIFA competitions).This would undermine the nation's individual status. ▶️Political differences : Each nation is keen on maintaining its individual identity and status, making the issue politically charged. ▶️Player Availability : Organizing a team involving four different football associations is complex and time-consuming. ‼️Looking back at the 2012 London Olympics, the decision to field a Great Britain men's football team was driven by factors such as the host nation advantage, Olympic spirit, and the understanding that it would be a one-time event without setting a precedent for future competitions(there was an assurance to this) . However,It did not even feature all nations, just England and Wales. Northern Ireland and Scotland opted not to participate. It was so complicated. (13 English players and 5 Welsh players participated ) ⚽️So why not perform as different nations, like they do in other international matches like the FIFA World Cup? 🅰️Reason is because FIFA, the governing body for football, recognizes England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland as separate nations, allowing them to compete independently. 🅱️However the International Olympic Committee (IOC),the governing body of the Olympics, on the other hand, typically recognizes countries,and not constituent nations.The UK is one country, which has 4 constituent nations (England,Wales,Scotland and Norhern Ireland). This means that only one Olympic Committee represents the entire UK at the Olympic Games. That is why it is kind of difficult for the 4 constituent nations to act independently during Olympic Games. #Footballmadeavailable #Tactician #Olympics2024

Compass Point Assist & UEFA 2024: Wrapping Up an Exciting Journey As UEFA 2024 wraps up with its final match on Sunday, featuring England against Spain, it's been a thrilling journey. Word has it that Spain has undeniably been the best team in the tournament, while England has proven to be the ultimate survivor, consistently coming from behind in all their knockout-stage games. We at Compass Point Assist have been relatively quiet lately, but that’s because we’ve been incredibly busy. Serving as the official go-to for travel and medical assistance for a number of US tour groups, we’ve supported 750 travelers visiting Germany for the UEFA games. Among them, we've managed a total of 267 cases, some minor and some quite serious, which means we've assisted approximately 35.6% of the travelers. A number we certainly did not estimate. Our cases ranged from travelers not knowing a PIN is needed for ATM withdrawals to a tragic heart failure incident, where we organized the repatriation of mortal remains from Germany back to Arizona. It’s been a rollercoaster of experiences, and while our team of medical assistance experts is well-versed in handling such situations, the variety and volume of cases have been a testament to our preparedness and capability. We've had a blast and are looking forward to the next challenge. With UEFA still not over, there's more work ahead, and we’re ready for it! Safe travels and enjoy the grand finale on Sunday 20:00 BST/21:00 CEST at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, Germany! ⚽🌍 #UEFA2024 #MedicalAssistance #TravelAssistance #PreventiveCare

The fan recovers football in a Euro Cup that will surpass the record of tickets and attendance at the stadiums | Euro Cup Germany 2024 On Düsseldorf’s Karplatz, a handsome Italian man juggles a foam ball and challenges any fan wearing a shirt other than blue. A few metres away, waiters are also balancing their trays between high wooden tables where mugs of beer, sausages and prominent German meatballs reveal a large and playful international competition that is played out amid drinks and cheering chants of identity. Based on demand and ticket sales, UEFA proclaims that this Euro Cup is on track to break the record of 2,427,303 fans who attended the stadiums in France in the 2016 edition. Just before the completion of the draw of 24 participants, the demand for tickets amounted to 50 million. UEFA sold 2.3 million seats before the tournament began. Subsequently, it put on sale a first wave of 93,147 that will increase with the passage of the qualifiers that begin today with Italy-Switzerland (6:00 p.m., TVE) and Germany-Denmark (9:00 p.m., TVE). After the multi-venue Euro 2021 that expanded the tournament to the four corners of the continent, with pandemic restrictions still in place in most of the host countries. After the imposture that filled many of the stands of Qatar’s luxurious World Cup stadiums with fake fans, football fans are reliving the traditional purism of their homeland at this Euro. modus vivendi. In some way, and despite the inflationary problems that increase the costs of accommodation and maintenance, it can be said that the fan has recovered football in a great competition. In Germany, in the heart of old Europe strained by the war in Ukraine, the Israeli destruction of Gaza, Islamic terrorism and the rise of the far right, the social dimension of football has generated the particular recreational oasis that always emerged for fans in major national team competitions. The fans fill the stadiums without needing to be subsidised by the organising committee, the central train stations are hives of footballing nomads who jump from city to city following their national teams and the old towns of the host cities become melting pots of nationalities that colour the terraces and pavements of Berlin, Munich, Stuttgart, Hamburg, Dortmund, Cologne, Leipzig and Frankfurt. The proliferation of Scottish kilts is one of the most distinctive and picturesque features of the landscape of this European Championship. On the outskirts of Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion, Tommy, a forty-something Scot, seems to have pinkened his cheeks and calves. “We come from Edinburgh, we are a group of eight who have chosen Dortmund because there are other venues nearby. We go to the Scotland matches and buy tickets for others that are played here and in the surrounding area. We will be there until the quarter-finals, it is our holiday,” he says while soothing his throat with a can of beer taken from a country fridge. Supermarkets are another ver...

UEFA EURO 2024: What can we learn about courage, competence, passion, talent mobility and team performance? I think we can learn a lot from the soccer teams of the UEFA EURO 2024. Balancing individual strengths of players, fostering a strong team spirit to encourage everybody to give his best and opportunities to other players to win collectively, displaying persistency as well as flexibility and critical self-assessment yet self-confidence are all ingredients to success. It is an amazing team and logistical effort of all involved such as players, coaches, physiotherapists, medical doctors, cooks, organizing staff and equipment providers. Personally, I have been particularly impressed by teams from countries with limited soccer legacy that still performed well when playing with well-established competitors. Moreover, soccer is a great example how international talent mobility creates successful outcomes for clubs, individual soccer players and – ultimately – for national teams. And their success makes their fans happy and have a positive impact on their societies. Being Austrian I was very impressed by the Austrian national team which consists of players that normally work and play in national leagues in many countries and are guided by an excellent coach. This mobility of talent in my opinion is a key driver of success in all teams. In companies, this diversity and mobility of talent leads to better outcomes. Also, soccer encourages us to do sports which is fun and healthy and has a positive impact on our personal and professional lives. Ultimately, while only one team can be the European national champion, every team that did well in my view is a winner too. I am really looking forward to watching the final game Spain VS England on Sunday! I wish this positive sport festival that unites people will help create positive momentum also in people’s hearts and minds in Germany and all European countries at large! UEFA EURO 2024 UEFA #UEFAEuro24 #Germany #Winning #Courage #Competence #Strength #Teamperformance #Talentmobility #Positivemomentum #Positiveenergy #Getthingsdone

Rugby and Qatar… After today’s Tori Towey debacle how can the IRFU and other Unions seriously consider this initiative- “Also high on their list of priorities is the scheduled launch of the new biennial Nations Cup tournament in 2026, with a lucrative proposal of €950 million over eight years having been tabled to stage a so-called Super Bowl of Rugby finals weekend in Qatar. No final agreement has been reached but, despite the potential financial bonanza, some major unions are understood to have reservations. In addition to Qatar’s human rights record, a relative lack of travelling supporters could have an impact on ticket sales and the atmosphere inside the stadiums. Sources suggest discussions are now entering a decisive phase” Don’t do it. Can’t do it for the right reasons…

Germany Selects Ideal World Cup Training Base in Prominent US City Where Glory Meets Innovation In an unprecedented move, the 2026 World Cup will be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the USA, marking a first in the tournament’s history. This edition of the World Cup will also see an expansion from 32 to 48 teams, reflecting the growing global interest in the sport. The allure of this event is significant, particularly for Americans who are known for their affinity for innovation. Hosting the tournament not only brings prestige but also promises increased revenue and spectatorship. FIFA, the governing body of football, will grant the host nations considerable freedom to establish fan zones and attractions, further boosting income generation. The question on everyone’s mind is: where will the 2026 World Cup final be held? The USA, being the largest of the host nations and boasting nine of the world’s largest stadiums, was always the likely choice for the championship match. FIFA is set to announce the final venue on February 4, 2026, with MetLife Stadium in New Jersey and AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas being the top contenders. Meanwhile, all 48 teams participating in the World Cup will be accommodated in nearby hotels for training and p... https://lnkd.in/eWi8yE-r

Interesting perspective related to #UEFA and the #ESL/#EuropeanSuperLeague proposal - we should protect the ‘European football pyramid’ against the greed and unsociable self-interest shaped by clubs that already have a solid power base and competitive position. Sporting merit, accumulated brand power over many years and global market mechanisms related to an existence in national football leagues and ecosystems as well as in #UEFA tournaments with more money over time (which have been an advantage for clubs at the top of the pyramid) are all ingredients reinforcing these top clubs. However, it doesn’t surprise me that the top clubs are seeking new and better revenue streams in a game influenced by money to an even higher extent today than 50 years ago - pressure on UEFA and the national federations is everywhere in this ‘money game’. Still, it is a moral paradox to see these European top clubs turning against a solidary football pyramid, which has been lucrative for them and has worked as a common platform for federations, leagues, clubs, players, and the driving engine of football fans at all levels (local, regional, national, and international) while allowing room for the charm of David’s fight against Goliath and thus some extent of (although more and more limited) competitive balance and thus the utilitarian principle linked to football as the people’s game ⚽️💡 #SportsBiz #SportsBusiness #FootballManagement #Soccer #HolyTrinity #FootballEconomy Take a look at the work of Four Nations Football Consulting 👇⚽️🌎💡