Chicago Fire FC and Major League Soccer today announced that Chicago Fire Academy U-16 Head Coach Selim Talbi was among the 22 coaches that received their Elite Formation Coaching License (EFCL) in partnership with the French Football Federation (FFF).
Talbi has been a member of the Chicago Fire Academy since 2018 and most recently lead the Fire Academy U-15 side to the 2024 MLS NEXT Cup championship in June.
One of the most highly regarded and rigorous soccer coaching courses in the world, the fifth iteration of the EFCL ran a total of seven weeks over an 18-month period, which culminated at the famed INF Clairefontaine outside of Paris in August.
As part of the program, coaches were required to submit a final project that incorporated classroom and on-field instruction, illustrating their ability to master teachings over the course of the 18 months. The projects were then evaluated based off the candidates’ ability to implement a principle of play within their environment or team.
Overall, the EFCL platform has played a pivotal role in MLS Homegrown development and the growth of several head coaches, assistants, and general managers throughout MLS and MLS NEXT Pro. MLS is currently working with the French Football Federation on the sixth iteration of the Elite Formation Coaching License program which would begin in the spring of 2025.