Football is back at the International School Dhaka (ISD) as the five-day Barça Academy Summer Camp 2025 has kicked off this Sunday, marking the school's second time hosting the event.
Following the success of the Autumn Training Camp in October 2023, this summer camp promises a week of top-tier football training, learning, and fun.
It has been structured to cater to three age groups: 11 years old and under, 14 years old and under, and 18 years old and under.
The session will run daily for five days from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm, with a lunch break from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm. Certificates will be provided to all the participants on the final day, recognizing their hard work and commitment.
All the sessions would be led by two esteemed coaches from the Barça Academy: Xavier Tarsà and Eric Benavides. Xavier Tarsà is a technical coordinator who has brought a wealth of experience as a licensed UEFA III (Union of the European Football Associations, the third-tier club) coach and physical trainer.
In contrast, Eric Benavides is a seasoned Barça coach who likes to combine expertise in technical coaching and sports physiotherapy. He has global experience from France, Argentina, Belgium, and Italy.
Regarding this, Gabriel Sistiaga, Spanish Ambassador to Bangladesh, said, “Football surpasses borders, cultures, and languages. I am proud to see Barça values and Spanish excellence being shared here in Bangladesh, particularly among the young talents. ISD deserves applause for organizing another training camp.”
Steve Calland-Scoble, Director, International School Dhaka, added, “We are thrilled to welcome back Barça Academy to ISD. We hope the summer camp will reflect our ongoing commitment to building character, nurturing talent, and offering our young students’ world-class opportunities both on and off the field.”
Fahad Mohammad Ahmed Karim, Vice President, Bangladesh Football Federation, expressed, “The collaboration between Barça Academy and ISD has the power to shape the future of football in our country. It can encourage our young players to learn from some of the best in the world right here in Dhaka.”
Besides focusing on honing football skills, the Summer Camp 2025 will also highlight Barça’s core values, like humility, effort, ambition, respect and teamwork-- values that form the heart of Barça’s philosophy.
It will offer a unique opportunity for young footballers to experience training inspired by the same philosophy that had once shaped legends like Iniesta, Piqué, Messi, Neymar and Busquets.
About the ISD
International School Dhaka is a prestigious IB World School in the heart of Bangladesh. Established in 1999, it was the first school in the country to offer the world-renowned International Baccalaureate (IB) curricula to all its students, from ages 2 to 18 years old.
Home to 32 nationalities, ISD students learn from experienced educators in world-class facilities and go on to attend leading universities in the USA and around the world. ISD works in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University and the Barcelona Soccer School to deliver cutting-edge programs that ‘See Tomorrow Today.’ In 2025, ISD proudly celebrates 25 years of excellence in education.
International School Dhaka is owned by STS Group, one of Bangladesh’s largest corporate groups, which brings world-class education to Bangladesh.
Bd-Pratidin English/ AM
