The Location
Lyon (France)
Lyon also known in British English as Lyons is the third-largest city of France. It is located in the country's east-central part at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, about 470 km (292 mi) south from Paris, 320 km (199 mi) north from Marseille and 55 km (34 mi) east from Saint-Étienne. Inhabitants of the city are called Lyonnais.
Our Experience
This international training opportunity takes place in the hub based in Lyon. Lyon is one of our four generation adidas international program hubs, chosen for the strength of the program and our superior access. Each of these hubs is a European football capital with exciting tourism opportunities, and an international airport which gives our travelers lower flight costs and more flight options. We have extensive experience organizing programs in these destinations, meaning that our networks there are unmatched. Our relationships with professional clubs in the area mean inside access to Academy training facilities and quality Academy coaches, and our knowledge of local youth football clubs will result in friendly matches that are level appropriate for your team. All of our programs are unique and worthwhile, but we highly recommend a ‘hub’ destination for an authentic and unforgettable travel experience!
Highlights
Lyon is home to the football club Olympique Lyonnais (OL), whose men's team plays in Ligue 1 and has won the championship of that competition seven times, all consecutively from 2002 to 2008). OL played until December 2015 at the 43,000-seat Stade de Gerland, which also hosted matches of the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Since 2016, the team has played at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais, a 59,000-seat stadium located in the eastern suburb of Décines-Charpieu OL operates a women's team, Olympique Lyonnais Féminin, which competes in and dominates Division 1 Féminine. They are on a streak of 11 top-flight championships (2007–present), and additionally claim the four titles won by the original incarnation of FC Lyon, a women's football club that merged into OL in 2004 (the current FC Lyon was founded in 2009). The OL women have also won the UEFA Women's Champions League four times, including the two most recent editions in 2016 and 2017
I think going over there is a lot of team camaraderie you can get from these trips, there is a lot of growing up...It was a lot of growth during the trip for the players. I think being in a culture that’s immersed in soccer, the players will never forget that experience.
I would definitely love to repeat it, and I would definitely suggest it to everyone that I know, just because it’s something so amazing and you never get this opportunity again. It’s something that you would dream about doing over and over again, and just something that no one will ever forget.
“I love watching the different coaching styles, I can pick up new things that I can bring back to the U.S. and put into my training sessions. Just being able to see where the top players in the world are able to train and compete I think is fantastic.”
“You have enough time for soccer but also enough time to experience the culture. It is an educational experience that not too many people have the opportunity to participate in.”
