Youth academy

The Schalke youth academy 'Knappenschmiede' aims to consistently help young footballing talents to make the transition from youth football to the Schalke first team.

There's always time for young talents ‘auf Schalke’!

In the ‘Knappenschmiede’ teams, we support all players according to their age and ability. The training builds on each other in terms of content – within a season and across all age groups. With this approach, talented players regularly make the transition from youth football to the Schalke first team.

Development comes first - on and off the pitch

We combine competitive sport with school and vocational training. The ‘Knappenschmiede’ develops personalities for whom we support also besides training and matches. Common values weld us together in all age groups: gratitude, respect, honesty, tolerance, team spirit and fairness.

These Schalke values form the basis for sports training in the basic, youth development, professional development and professional transition phase. When selecting soccer coaches, FC Schalke 04 relies on particularly good qualifications and experience as well as a good mix of talented coaches and former professional players. The highest possible qualification for soccer coaches provides the foundation for professional and intensive coaching of talented players.

Focus: Inspire and train players from the local area for S04 in the long term and sustainably

Methodology: The natural joy of playing soccer should be encouraged with an initial performance-oriented approach. Important elements in training:

  • Free play
  • Ball control and basic techniques
  • Coordination
  • Speed and dynamics

Focus: Supporting the transition from small to large pitches

Methodology: One of the central topics in the youth development area is the individual development of our players at both sporting and personal level. The starting point here is the player’s individual footballing and biological level of development. Training focuses in the U12 to U14 teams:

  • Technical training
  • Individual and group tactical basics
  • Free play

Focus: Supporting the step into competitive soccer

Methodology: In terms of content, the training focus is shifted from the technical to the tactical area:

  • Expansion of individual technical and tactical fundamentals
  • Group/team tactical basics
  • Introduction to strength training

Focus: Introducing and establishing players for licensed football

Methodology: Together with the Under 23 team, the Under 19s represent the final stage of soccer education. Both act as a link between the youth sector and the professional team. After consultation players from the U23 and U19 teams are participating regularly in the training sessions of the licensed players. The training focuses in the professional transition phase are:

  • Positional training
  • Decision-making quality
  • Individual athletic training

The name ‘Knappenschmiede’ ...

… is, like the history of S04, closely linked to the history of the Ruhr region. In the region ‘Knappen’ (= minors) worked underground – and, among other things, founded our club. Based on our history our junior players are forged (GEschmiedet) into ‘Knappen’ to this day.