Sergio Van Dijk has founded Neo Gen Football Academy in Bandung to nurture young football talent towards the professional level.

STARJOGJA.COM, Info – Former Indonesia national team player Sergio Van Dijk has founded Neo Gen Football Academy in the city of Bandung to develop the potential of young footballers. The academy is set up as a structured pathway so that young players have the chance to develop all the way to the professional level.

Sergio said the academy is there to help children in Bandung and across West Java receive structured football coaching.

He hopes young players can prepare themselves early for a professional career. Speaking in Bandung on Sunday (11/10/2026), he said:

Today is the opening of our football academy, Neo Gen FA. We want to help children in West Java and Bandung build a pathway to professional football.

Sergio Van Dijk

Neo Gen at SingaCup 2026

Neo Gen Football Academy already has a U-10 age-group team scheduled to take part in the SingaCup tournament in Singapore at the end of October 2026.

Meanwhile, the U-14 team is planned to take part in the ASEAN Youth Cup this coming November.

According to Sergio, taking part in international competitions can give young players valuable experience. The opportunity is also expected to broaden their horizons and sharpen their skills from an early age.

“We have many connections outside Indonesia and want the children who are the future generation of Indonesian football to get the experience of playing in international competitions,” he said.

He stressed the importance of building the foundations of football at the grassroots level. In his view, continuous development is needed so that the progress of Indonesian football is not only focused on short-term results.

I think development must also start from the grassroots. What is happening now may be a short-term success, but we want to see development over the long term.

Sergio Van Dijk

Sergio also encouraged young players to make the most of the training programme at Neo Gen Academy as part of their journey towards the professional level. He believes the success of youth development is not determined solely by achievements in tournaments.

Being a champion is good, but it is not the main goal. What matters more is the process and the children’s development.

Sergio Van Dijk

Source: Antara

Article Link: https://radiostar.harianjogja.com/2026/10/13/sergio-van-dijk-dirikan-neo-gen-football-academy-untuk-cetak-pesepak-bola-muda/