Mediamec Eighty-five young footballers from across Cape Town experienced European academy training methods this week during a two-day clinic run by German Bundesliga club 1. FSV Mainz 05.
Players in the under-10 to under-18 age groups took part, while local coaches gained insight into the tactical approaches and coaching techniques used at elite European academies.
Mainz representative Simon Hasler led the programme with support from the Nexgen coaching team. The sessions challenged participants with drills requiring the intensity expected at professional level.
Justin Tantaal, the project facilitator and founder of Nexgen Football School, said the most valuable outcome was exposing young players to a different coaching style and standard.
He said bringing international football expertise to Cape Town helped players understand both the opportunities available and the demands of progressing to a higher level.
Local coaches also used the clinic to explore methods they could apply in their own sessions to strengthen youth football development.
Nexgen is now preparing a core group of players for a European tour in 2027, when they are due to face German opposition.
Tantaal said the ambition extended beyond the clinic: players should experience that football environment themselves, test their abilities against strong teams and return with improved skills.
Mainz are fifth in the 2026/27 Bundesliga standings. The club also played an important role in the managerial careers of Jürgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel. Klopp was a Mainz player before being appointed head coach in 2001.
