This Friday and Saturday, Sarasota is taking a step forward in regards to bringing true professional soccer to the market.

DME Academy, in collaboration with FootDraft and RDA, is hosting one of the most significant youth scouting events the region has ever experienced — welcoming professional scouts and talent identifiers from Sporting CP, Santa Clara, SC Braga.

More than 50 athletes, representing countries across South & North America, will travel to Sarasota to compete, showcase their ability, and pursue pathways that were once unimaginable in this area. This mix of local and and national talent will certainly garner respect.

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Elite Scouts From Europe Arriving in Sarasota

This showcase brings legitimate European football pedigree directly to Florida. Among the attending talent evaluators:

🇵🇹 César Fragoso — Scout, Sporting CP

We’re excited to welcome César Fragoso, a respected scout from Portuguese powerhouse Sporting CP, to our Pro Combine. Sporting is one of the most iconic player-development clubs in the world — the academy that produced Cristiano Ronaldo, Luís Figo, João Moutinho, Nani, and countless others.
His presence gives athletes a rare opportunity to be seen by a club known globally for identifying and nurturing elite talent.

🇵🇹 Gabriel Arranz — Head Scout, Santa Clara Youth Academy

We proudly welcome Gabriel Arranz, the Head Scout of the Santa Clara Youth Academy. With a proven track record in identifying players capable of performing in European environments, Gabriel brings an invaluable perspective. His expertise provides participants with a legitimate chance to impress someone who knows exactly what a future professional looks like.

🇵🇹 José Luís Antunes — Scout, SC Braga

We are also thrilled to add José Luís Antunes from SC Braga to our scouting lineup. Braga is one of Portugal’s premier clubs, renowned for developing technically gifted, tactically intelligent players and consistently competing in top European competitions. José Luís’s eye for emerging talent adds yet another layer of opportunity and credibility to this showcase.

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Two Competitive Brackets. Three Games Each. 

The event features two competitive age brackets:

• 2010–2009 Age Group

• 2008–2005 Age Group

Each athlete will compete in three high-level games across the two-day event, providing meaningful exposure and a real opportunity to be evaluated under pressure. The matches mirror the tempo, physicality, and tactical demands of professional academy competitions.

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A First for Sarasota Soccer

Sarasota has never seen scouting at this scale.

Hosting representatives from Sporting CP, Santa Clara, SC Braga is a breakthrough moment for Southwest Florida. What is typically reserved for major football markets — New York, Miami, Dallas, Los Angeles — is now happening right here at DME Academy, Sarasota.

This collaboration between FootDraft, RDA, and DME Academy represents a shared mission to create genuine pathways, high-level environments, and true opportunity for serious athletes.

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A Shared Mission: Pathways Through Performance

FootDraft, RDA, and DME Academy share the same goal:
Empower players through opportunity, exposure, and elite environments.

By bringing respected European scouts directly to Sarasota, we eliminate barriers and give players a platform that did not previously exist in this region. This showcase represents a new standard — not just for our academy, but for the entire Sarasota soccer community.

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Thank You

A sincere thank you to FootDraft, RDA, our visiting scouts, the families who support their athletes, and the players who continue to dedicate themselves to the pursuit of excellence. Hosting an event of this magnitude reflects collaboration, belief, and the shared vision of expanding opportunities through the sport we love.

This weekend, history is being written Let’s play.