The Global Football Training (GFT) Project was a groundbreaking international initiative designed to revolutionize how footballers are developed and coached worldwide.

Born out of a bold vision and a passion for the beautiful game, the project took shape as a nearly three-year journey around the globe, aimed at studying, comparing, and refining football education across cultures, continents, and systems.

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At its heart, the GFT Project sought to answer a fundamental question:

What are the key ingredients to consistently developing intelligent, adaptable, and high-performing football players?

To uncover this, Kenn embarked on an extensive world tour, visiting over 100 clubs, academies, and training centers across 26 countries, including some of the most respected footballing nations in Europe, South America, Africa, Asia, Australia, and North America.

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These visits weren’t superficial. Each one lasted between four and ten days and involved deep, immersive exploration into the host club’s coaching philosophies, player development structures, training methodologies, and cultural influences. The project focused on both qualitative and quantitative insights, evaluating aspects such as:

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• Training curriculum design and implementation

• Pathways for youth and professional development

• The impact of local culture and values on coaching styles

• Athletic development and physical conditioning methods

• Nutritional strategies and support systems

• Coach education and mentoring processes

• Use of data, technology, and performance analysis tools

 

By observing, questioning, and learning from a diverse range of football ecosystems, the GFT team was able to identify common patterns, uncover hidden strengths, and reveal blind spots in how different environments shape the modern footballer.

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The result of this intensive research and collaboration is the GFT Curriculum — a comprehensive, globally-informed training framework built around the core concept of "Game Intelligence."

This goes far beyond technical skill; it emphasizes decision-making under pressure, spatial awareness, creativity, tactical understanding, and emotional resilience — the traits that define elite players at every level of the game.

It was implemented at the Global Football School USA in Charleston, South Carolina, and the GFT Curriculum represents a new model for player development.

It combines global best practices with a clear, consistent methodology that adapts to the needs of each individual athlete. By embracing this holistic and innovative approach, we aim to develop not just better players, but more thoughtful, self-aware, and intelligent competitors — both on and off the pitch.