With huge investment in infrastructure, technology and knowledge, the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) is reaping the rewards on the field. CEO, Tiago Craveiro speaks to fcbusiness about how the federation’s commitment to its strategic plan has impacted the nation’s football fortunes.
It would be easy to think that the success of winning the UEFA Euro Finals in 2016 and the inaugural UEFA Nations League earlier this year would be enough for the head of Portugal’s national association to be content with. But for the straight talking CEO, Tiago Craveiro, this success is only part of a wider strategic plan which started in 2012 following the appointment of new president, Fernando Gomes.
“We’ve always had very good footballers – that’s a fact,” Craveiro stressed. “But what we felt was that we needed much more organisation and planning. So we started by building a facility for our international teams that opened in the summer of 2016.”
On the day of the FPF’s 102nd anniversary, they officially opened Cidade do Futebol (City of Football) complex, to house all the association’s activities, both sporting and administrative. Located near the Estádio Nacional, in Jamor, Oeiras, close to Lisbon, the headquarters boast a technical centre, a 340-capacity stadium, two full-size natural pitches, dressing rooms equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, and an office area reserved for coaching and support staff. Now three years old, the facility is now undergoing a major expansion programme which includes the building of a hotel which is due open in April 2020.
City of Football was just one part of the federation’s long-term strategic plan but its very existence was put under severe threat following the nation’s poor performance at the FIFA World Cup in Brazil 2014. Craveiro stressed how the FPF had to hold its nerve following Portugal’s failure to progress from the group stages during the tournament.
He added: “Our participation was quite below our worst expectations and we had to deal with that – either we could leave the project that we started in 2012, or we could continue believing in the process.”
Tiago and the FPF chose to hold their nerve and shortly after started building the City of Football and initiated a complete change in the way they looked into the health and performance of their national teams.
“We created a 360 degree unit for health and performance and we have invested a lot in knowledge,” he continued. “Portugal is what it is as a country. We are 10 million people, we will not be 40 million in a few years so we cannot afford to lose any players. We have to look into efficiencies, we have to make the most of what we can with all of them [players] and we cannot afford to lose our talent.”
Understanding the need to nurture their best talent both on and off the pitch has led to another key element in the FPF’s armoury – a university.
“As far as I know, Portugal is the only football association in the world that owns a university,” Craveiro said of the Portugal Football School which opened in March 2017, and now educates more than 2500 students.
“National associations are supposed to cover the education of two very important people – referees and coaches. We thought, if we enlarge this into health, performance, media, marketing – any other area that we touch – we can all grow together in knowledge. We have invested a lot in this area.”
Portugal Football School forms part of the research and development unit of FPF and its main activities are research in football, futsal and beach soccer, as well as the education and training of stakeholders with responsibility in the development and promotion of football at local, district and national competitions and guarantee the development of football in Portugal.
FPF overseas the management of 22 national teams across football, futsal and beach soccer, and organises 32 annual competitions. Currently, Portugal has 215,000 registered football players but through their investment in the university, FPF are also developing a pool of talented individuals equipped with the skills and knowledge to help further grow the federation across all business and playing functions. But crucially, the money they are generating from graduate and postgraduate fees is being used to deliver basic courses for officials of small clubs across the country to help improve knowledge in football administration.
“In football, coaches and referees need to be well educated, but what about the presidents?” Craveiro said. “How can we develop small clubs so that they can perform better if we don’t educate the people that are working in the offices? That is why we developed our university.”
Efforts are also being focused on developing expertise around media and how it’s produced and consumed. Craveiro questioned the way football is delivered and watched by today’s fans, stating: “Fans seem to only be interested in top-tier competitions. Is this really the case? People are very engaged but what really sells is the journey, not the destination.”
1st August saw the launch the federation’s own cable TV station, Canal 11. Produced at the City of Football complex, the channel will provide a platform to show over 600 live matches per season from their national youth, women’s, beach and futsal teams.
It’s an interesting tactic and one without risk which Craveiro counters. “People tell me ‘you are going to compete with other TV?’ and I say we will not,” he said noting the failings of sports coverage by traditional broadcasters.
“In the seven years that I have been with the association they [the broadcasters] have never brought me the content I will air on Canal 11. They have never brought me an u19s match, they never brought me the women’s u17s, or a match from beach soccer or futsal. We will air these matches and we will sell the journey of the players.”
The player’s journey is crucially important to the idea behind the channel and one that will be nurtured by the federation’s production team.
“I can do what I can never ask a commercial TV provider to do and that is to take care of these stories, these people and impress our fans about these journeys.
“We could always spend the same amount we are going to spend on the TV channel with marketing campaigns, but we felt we live in a world where the content in this industry is the best marketing weapon that we have. There is no campaign that is better than the football pitch. So we are investing in that and will shine a light on them.”
On 17th March, 1999, the NBA in the US launched its own cable TV channel dedicated entirely to providing basketball fans with regular and unique content as well as live games attracting over 50 million subscribers. During the 2017-18 season, NBA programming reached more than 1 billion unique viewers and more than 35% of visitors to NBA.com coming from outside North America. A recent NBA game in London was broadcast in 215 countries, and in 34 languages. The success of NBA TV leaves Craveiro with one question: “How come football never did this?”
The NBA TV channel produces a huge amount of content around feature games that keeps the interest of fans and Craveiro continues his criticism of the way football is traditionally broadcast, or more specifically – what is broadcast.
“Is it good to only show Champions League, Premier League, LaLiga?” he quizzes. “It’s like in a movie to only show 10 minutes of tension. You need all the minutes of the movie to understand that tension.
“If we only show the top class, fans will never truly understand this sport and the journey of the players. We need the eyes of the small boys and girls dreaming about getting to the top. The objective of Canal 11 is to promote growth in participants in football. We are growing at an average of 4.5% in participation. If, in four years time, growth goes from 4.5 to 6.5%, the TV channel becomes quite a cheap instrument.”
As we spoke, just ahead of the launch of the channel, Portugal’s u19’s were playing in the UEFA European u19 championships semi-finals, beating Ireland four-nil to reach their 3rd consecutive final. They ultimately lost two-nil to Spain’s u19s, but their performance in the tournament epitomises Craveiro’s belief in the federation’s strategy.
“Sport success makes everything brighter but the difference between losing in the quarter-finals or being champions is quite small so you should never quit if you believe in the process. That’s the lesson we took from 2014 – believe in the process.
“In Latin countries, they change and change and change again. Here we have stayed true; we’ve stuck with our project and continue to the letter. I believe that stability, vision and the ability to develop will help deliver what you say you will.
“We know that around the corner there will be a new bad moment, that’s life, not only sport. In that moment we need to analyse again but when we win we need to also analyse. Some people only analyse when they lose. When we win it does not mean that everything is very good or organised, we may need change and develop.”
Craveiro points to Portugal senior men’s shock defeat to Greece in the UEFA Euro Finals in 2004, as something they have learned immensely from. “Why did Portugal lose the final in 2004 at home against Greece?” he asks. “It’s because football is what it is and it can happen.”
The Portugal team of 2004, managed by Luiz Felipe Scholari, included a young Cristiano Ronaldo alongside Luis Figo and Deco but ultimately lost to a well organised Greece side.
“Portuguese fans in 2004 created the idea on the players that we were two hours away from the trophy, not two hours of football away! You have to protect the team from this idea that shirts will win matches. That’s not exactly the truth.”
The development of elite players in Portugal continues with the likes of Bernardo Silva who was voted Manchester City’s Player of the Season (2018/19) and João Félix, the 19 year old Benfica winger signed by Atletico Madrid for €126m in the summer.
“Clubs are working very hard developing players and the national team gives them the international exposure that our league can’t. Portugal doesn’t have clubs like Manchester United or Real Madrid so the role that the national teams perform is very important to expose the players.”
With their current crop of elite players and the inaugural UEFA Nations League trophy in the cabinet, what are Portugal’s goals for the UEFA Euro Finals in 2020?
“The goal of a country is always to win. Not to defend – I don’t like that idea of defending champions. In the Portuguese squad that won the UEFA Nations League in June, only nine players were in our Euro 2016 squad out of twenty three.
“The feeling to win the Euros and the Nations League at the same time is maybe like when a club wins their domestic league and the cup. People say these guys dominated our football. Does it mean that we will go be the major candidate? First we need to qualify. If we get there then we will be candidates for sure.
“In 104 years we have won one Euro championship so you cannot automatically think we are favourites now. But a candidate – always!”