Genk’s Academy: Another Star in the Champions League Final
As Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain prepare to battle for European supremacy at the Puskas Arena in Budapest on Saturday evening, one Belgian club will be watching with particular pride. For the sixth consecutive season, a product of KRC Genk’s renowned youth academy—Leandro Trossard—will feature in the Champions League final. The man who helped shape him, technical coach Michel Ribeiro, explains in a revealing interview with Het Laatste Nieuws what makes Genk’s talent factory so extraordinary.
The Ribeiro Factor
Michel Ribeiro (50) has been a fixture at Genk’s Jos Vaessen Talent Academy since 2004, with a brief stint at Sporting Kansas City from 2017 to 2020. His list of protégés reads like a who’s who of Belgian football royalty: Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois, Leandro Trossard, Divock Origi, and Yannick Carrasco. According to his Wikipedia biography, he has been instrumental in the technical development of these players during their formative years.
“I get goosebumps when you say that,” Ribeiro told HLN, rubbing his arm. “Four years ago, two of our boys—Kevin and Thibaut—were in the top 10 of the Ballon d’Or, which is actually quite absurd because we are a young club.”
A Philosophy of Fearlessness
What sets Genk’s academy apart, Ribeiro explains, is a training philosophy built on technical completeness and mental strength. Players are trained to be two-footed, tactically versatile, and—above all—fearless.
“Do the boys start an exercise and do it incorrectly? Again. Playing in with the wrong foot? Again,” Ribeiro said. “They need to be as complete as possible, like ‘Lea.’ You can’t make them one-footed, because then they lose half their options.”
This approach extends beyond technique. Genk’s academy gives its players multiple tactical frameworks to thrive. As KRC Genk’s official website notes, the club’s youth teams are taught to play dominantly, even against elite European opposition like Barcelona.
“We gave them a plan A, B, and C,” Ribeiro said. “Other clubs stick to one plan. If the player doesn’t make it in that position, his career is quickly over.”
Trossard: The Imperturbable Talent
Ribeiro’s first memories of a young Trossard paint a vivid picture of a player who has always believed in his own ability.
“He had no complexes,” Ribeiro recalled. “He simply didn’t give a damn. You know? That’s how we say it here.”
When asked about facing PSG’s Achraf Hakimi in the final, Ribeiro was unfazed on Trossard’s behalf: “He knows he’ll have to run a lot, but he will run. It’s not like he’s afraid of that. Who stands opposite him never really mattered much to him.”
Ribeiro estimates that 85 percent of the player Trossard is today was forged at Genk. “I still recognize that unpredictability. From the moment you think he’ll cross, there’s another extra touch. A joy to watch.”
A Remarkable Streak
Genk’s production line is not a fluke. For six consecutive seasons, the last remaining Belgian in the Champions League has been a Genk academy graduate. The 2026 final between PSG and Arsenal continues that tradition, with Trossard joining De Bruyne, Courtois, Origi, and Carrasco as Genk products to grace Europe’s biggest stage.
This streak reflects a development model that prioritizes technical intelligence over physical attributes. As Ribeiro puts it: “Your greatest talent is between your ears. You can have enormous potential in every aspect of football, but you need football intelligence to reach Leandro’s level.”
What’s Next for Genk’s Pipeline?
As the BBC notes, this is Arsenal’s first Champions League final in 20 years. For Genk, it is simply the latest chapter in an ongoing story of remarkable talent development. The question is not whether another Genk graduate will appear in a future final, but who it will be.
Ribeiro, for his part, will be watching with the same hope he had for Origi and De Bruyne before him. “One hundred percent sure,” he said when asked if he hopes Trossard scores the winner. “I did the same with Origi. I did the same when Kevin won. PSG’s football has everything: technique, pressing, genius… It’s the best team, but let Leandro score the decisive goal.”
Whether Trossard delivers or not, one thing is certain: somewhere in the Genk youth academy, another future star is already being shaped by the same philosophy that produced a generation of Champions League finalists.