In a significant move for youth football, five promising U16 players from the Jinshan Auxerre Elite Team embarked on an exceptional journey in September 2023. They joined the prestigious AJ Auxerre Club in France for a comprehensive two-year program that includes not only football training but also academic studies at the renowned Auxerre Youth Academy.

Zhang Zhe (Defender)/Huang Yaofu (Forward)/Zhu Xinlei (Defender)/Yi Yujia (Defender)/Guo Gan (Midfielder)

These five young players have already benefited from four years of high-level training in China, under the guidance of Auxerre's French youth coaches. They play in various positions, each bringing unique skills to the field, and their arrival in France marks the culmination of the first successful four-year cooperation cycle between Auxerre and the Jinshan District Sports Center.

This collaboration took root in May 2019 when Auxerre partnered with the Jinshan District Sports Center in Shanghai to establish the Jinshan Auxerre Elite Team. Since then, AJ Auxerre has sent a cadre of elite French youth coaches to China. These coaches have worked intensively with the team, both training the players daily and guiding them in competitive play. The program is designed to identify and nurture outstanding talents, offering them a chance to train in France’s esteemed football systems.

While honing their skills on the field, these young athletes are also pursuing their academic education at Joseph Fourier High School in France. This dual focus aligns perfectly with Auxerre's philosophy of maintaining a balance between achieving high-level football skills and academic excellence.

Auxerre remains committed to fostering young talent and hopes this early professional training will help these promising players to flourish within Europe’s top-tier football training environment. The ultimate goal is to elevate Chinese youth football and continue producing skilled young players who can contribute significantly to the sport both nationally and globally.

As these young talents start their training, we extend our heartfelt wishes for their success and look forward to seeing the impact they will make in the football world.