Marco Schuepp is FIFA’s Beach Soccer and Futsal Coordinator, in charge of the Member Associations and Development. As one of the most authorized voices in the sports growth, he is absolutely sure about the potential of Beach Soccer. This is why he feels the sport means a huge opportunity for countries to dive into top-level, something he strongly encourages them to, just as he thinks that the synergies between Beach Soccer, Football and Futsal can only be regarded as positive.
?How did interest arise in FIFA to give importance to Beach Soccer and Futsal?
?We see Beach Soccer and Futsal as a great complement to football. Football is a great family, and the core is the same. Besides, there are many things that make these sports really attractive, such as it being played in small spaces. Sometimes it is difficult to get a football pitch in some places, but to play beach soccer you do not need much. Besides, the kind of play is really characteristic, and this helps players to improve certain capacities and skills that might help them if playing football as well.
?Which are FIFA’s goals for those modalities?
?First of all, promoting them and convincing the FAs and the governments that Beach Soccer and Futsal are not harmful for football, but just the contrary. All of them can profit from the others, so to grow more powerful altogether. Just as an example, we have El Salvador, who has been three times in the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, or Guatemala, that has hosted the FIFA Futsal World Cup. It is not an easy task, but we are working toughly to get everyone involved.
?May Beach Soccer or Futsal be regarded as the opportunity for those countries that are not great teams in football to become so?
?Definitely. This is why we are encouraging FAs from countries which could hardly become World Champions to do their best in them. We are pushing them to develop these modalities because there’s a huge opportunity there. The distance between the well-developed countries and those which are not is not too big, and there’s the chance for the latter to get to the level of those who had been working on it for some years.
?Which are the mandatory tools a country needs to have to dive into Beach Soccer or Futsal?
?This is not easy to point in a general way… Obviously, you need the facilities, but we have always stood for the idea that not playing the sport because you do not have high-standard facilities is a big mistake. Whatever you have is enough to get started. Afterwards, for a long-term development, you have to aim at children formation, youth categories, working with schools, etc. and not thinking only in the National Team, which is the closest way for immediate success, of course.
?How does FIFA appoint the Venues for these modalities World Cups? Do you aim at exotic places: Dubai, Marseille, Tahiti…?
?For example, upcoming FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup is to take pace in Italy, where there’s a great tradition in the sport, with a regular league, competitions, etc. In 2013 it is going to happen in Tahiti, which is kind of far but they have shown a great interest and the potential of the whole region is enormous.
?How does FIFA President, Mr. Joseph Blatter, follow the development of these modalities?
?Mr. Blatter is strongly supportive to all the development programs. He regards these modalities as essential, since he sees them as a great complement, not as something damaging.
?Is becoming as big as football the final goal?
?It is absolutely a great wish, but we have to set things separately and be realistic. Football is football, and it is the most important sport. Even though, we see it as a great family, a global concept, to which Football, Beach Soccer and Futsal are a part of.
