Partner Content: This article was provided by Spanish Soccer Academy, The Next Level Sport (TNL), a U.S. Soccer Parent partner. Program details, dates, eligibility, and costs are set by TNL and subject to change. U.S. Soccer Parent is not a scouting, agency, or placement service, does not select or represent players, and is not involved in program pricing or payment. Verify all terms directly with TNL before committing. The editor’s note at the end of this article was written independently by U.S. Soccer Parent.
Creating a pathway from the United States to Spain through elite competition, individual development and real opportunity.
Why Spain’s development model matters
“Spain are World Champions again.”
For those of us who work in player development in Spain, winning the 2026 World Cup is obviously something to celebrate. But beyond the trophy itself, I believe there is something even more interesting to look at: how these players were developed.
Spain’s success is not the result of one generation appearing by chance. It is the product of a football culture that has spent years placing enormous importance on technical quality, tactical understanding, decision-making, confidence with the ball and, above all, developing intelligent footballers.
At TNL, these are principles that strongly connect with the way we understand player development.
And there is another connection that I find particularly interesting.
Many of the players we are now watching at the highest level were competing in major international youth tournaments only a few years ago. Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Rodri, Gavi and many others experienced tournaments such as MICFootball during their development years.
In fact, 18 members of Spain’s 26-player World Cup-winning squad had previously participated in MICFootball.
It is a great reminder of how valuable it can be for young players to step outside their normal environment and test themselves against players and academies from different countries.
Bringing that opportunity to players in the United States
During the 2026-27 season, TNL will have a network of scouts attending some of the most important youth soccer tournaments across the United States.
Our objective will be simple: identify talented and ambitious players who we believe are ready to challenge themselves in a high-level European environment.
Selected players will have the opportunity to represent TNL in Spain at two major international competitions: Surf Cup International, held in Salou, and MICFootball, held on the Costa Brava.
These tournaments bring together teams and academies from across the world and provide something that is very difficult to recreate in a normal development environment: meaningful games against completely different football cultures and some of the strongest youth teams in the game.
Over the years, clubs such as FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Villarreal CF, Manchester City, Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund, Atlético de Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and many others have competed in these environments.
For the players we select, however, our objective is not simply to travel to Spain and participate.
We want to build teams capable of competing.
We want players to arrive knowing that they have been selected because we believe they can perform at that level, challenge elite opposition and show what they can do in one of the strongest youth football environments in Europe.
More than exposure
There is naturally an important exposure element to tournaments of this level.
When some of the world’s leading academies are participating in the same competition, players have an opportunity to measure themselves directly against that standard and perform in an environment closely connected to elite youth football.
But at TNL, we believe exposure without development has limited value.
That is why the players identified through our scouting network will also be invited to become part of the TNL Academy pathway.
Our professional team in Spain will create an individual player profile for each selected player, identifying their strengths, areas for improvement and the specific aspects of their game that can take them to the next level.
From there, we will define an individual development plan designed around that player.
Because two players of the same age and position may need completely different things to improve.
Our job is to understand the player first — and then create the right environment, training and competitive opportunities around them.
The next opportunity may be closer than you think
Watching Spain lift the World Cup is inspiring.
But for a young player, perhaps the most important lesson is remembering that players such as Lamine Yamal were playing youth tournaments like MICFootball not so long ago.
Every professional journey starts somewhere.
For some talented young players in the United States, the next step could be earning the opportunity to represent TNL in Spain, competing against some of the best academies in world football and beginning an individual development pathway with TNL Academy.
During the 2026-27 season, our scouts will be watching. And we are looking forward to discovering who is next.
Guillem Costa
Founder of TNL, (The Next Level Sport), Barcelona, Spain
There is no open tryout. Selection happens two ways: TNL scouts watching players at U.S. showcases, or a highlight video submitted directly for review.