Revealed plans for jewelry production utilizing Cruzeiro's athletic base, quotes a style icon from Palmeiras in justification.
Cruzeiro and Union's scoreless draw showcased Coach Leonardo Jardim's evaluation of his squad. During the match, Jardim assessed the performance of bench players, the team's overall unity, and the readiness of youth academy prospects.
Two young players—midfielder Nicolas Pontes, 19, and goalkeeper Vitor Lamounier, 17—joined the professional roster but did not see action. Regardless, they gained valuable experience observing the professional environment and potentially making their debuts with the first team. This tactic mirrors Jardim's developing strategy at Cruzeiro.
Upon discussing his decision, Jardim expressed, "Incorporating youth academy players is vital for our club as it fosters more young talents aiming to secure a spot on the professional team."
Recalling Palmeiras, who will challenge Cruzeiro next Sunday, Jardim highlighted this rival's youth academy success story. "Palmeiras has recently invested heavily in their youth academy, giving chances to promising young players. We strive to emulate that path," he said.
Notably, former Cruzeiro players Estevao and Vitor Roque, now at Palmeirans, as well as the upcoming 'Messinho,' are examples of young talents making their mark at the Brazilian club. Before departing to sign his first professional contract with Palmeiras and subsequently Chelsea-ENG, 'Messinho' will take the field for the final league match against Coritiba.
While specific instances of Jardim's youth academy integration strategy at Cruzeiro have not been thoroughly documented, his focus on competition among players and adaptability to various tactics may offer potential avenues for young hopefuls to compete for places within the team. Comparatively, Palmeiras is renowned for their long-term development approach, fostering technical skills and tactical awareness in their youth players before considering them for the senior team. Nevertheless, Cruzeiro aims to bridge this gap by prioritizing youth integration in their club culture, as signaled by Jardim's recent actions.
׀Jardim is considering incorporating young talents from the Cruzeiro youth academy into European-leagues such as Serie-A, as witnessed with his evaluation of midfielder Nicolas Pontes and goalkeeper Vitor Lamounier.
As Palmeiras, their upcoming rivals, have been successful in nurturing youth talents, Cruzeiro aims to emulate this approach, laying the foundation for future football stars.
