FK Partizan Academy and FK Teleoptik (lower league club and Partizan's affiliate) in Zemun is the "The Partizan youth school". It was founded in the 1950s. The club is well known for its dedicated work with youngsters.Youth Academy's philosophy is based on pedagogy and development of youth not only as footballers but as sportsmen. The club takes pride in caring for its prospects' physical and emotional growth while teaching the sporting spirit. It considers and treats FK Teleoptik as a "family member". FK Teleoptik is where typically Partizan's prospects under professional contracts would be sent at the age of eighteen (18) to gain invaluable experience. Players are acutely mentored and progression is closely monitored. Most prospects are under non-professional scholarships whereby the club would own their future trading rights for subsidized cost of living (room and board provided by the club). This would be superseded by a professional first team contract, if offered, which would give a prayer annual salary and FK Partizan first crack at the trading market by a defaulted ownership of players rights.
There are around 400 youngsters classified by age categories and divided into six age groups, four compete at the level of the Football Association of Serbia (FSS) the U17, U16, U15 and U14, while the U13 and U12 compete at the level of the Football Association of Belgrade.Below U12 level there are no official competitions, but players do play in tournaments and friendly matches. The youth teams also participate in numerous tournaments around Europe and also organize an U17 international tournament with participation of some of the top European clubs. Partizan also organizes football camps for children in Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Australia and the United States.Many of the best youth-academy players move directly to the Partizan senior side, or to the affiliate club Teleoptik Zemun. Partizan's Youth academy, development and eventual sale of its prospects, is a major source of income for FK Partizan. Simple qualification for continental European competition is a huge financial boost not only for the football club but for the Partizan Sports' Association as a whole. However, it introduces ironic and sad reality. Qualifying for group stages in these continental competitions brings enormous spotlight which inevitably at times inflates the market value of FK Partizan's prospects. This reality has given "football-factory" some financial rewards but at the expense of the 1st squad's continuity. It is a cycle that management at the club has not been able to fully get out of, still.
* 2015 Rankings
According to the prominent International Centre for Sports Studies in Switzerland (CIES: football-observatory.com), FK Partizan youth academy has been ranked among the best in Europe in terms of productivity topping the chart ahead of Ajax and Barcelona in 2015 as it did a decade earlier in 2006.
( Research criteria was based on players who are regarded product of the club, those aged 15 to 21 who played at least three seasons with the club within given age period. Next parameter was how many of such players are part of 31 given Europe`s national professional football leagues.)
All of Partizan's youth categories train at the Partizan sports complex named SC Partizan-Teleoptik, along with Partizan's seniors and the players of FK Teleoptik.
*Not listed below is Andrija Zivkovic, one of the most talented youngster in Europe and the Serbia's U-20 World Cup winning side stand-out. Zivkovic is the FK Partizan's home grown product currently at Benfica. He departed Partizan in 2016 under very peculiar circumstances as a free agent. Market value as of June 2017 was £6.30m.
List of FK Partizan's 1st team transfers since the 2000/01 seaon. Listed are only those who were sold before turning 23 years of age.
Above Academy-Center pictures are property of partizan.rs and are used for non-profit purposes.