Azerbaijan champions Qarabag FK have officially launched a partnership with Italian Serie A side Udinese, potentially opening a new chapter for young Azerbaijani footballers.
Udinese, known for scouting global talent, will once again welcome Azerbaijani youth players into its ranks—this time, from the Qarabag academy, Idman.biz reports.
The hope is that these rising stars will succeed where previous talents fell short, advancing all the way to Serie A and unlocking doors that remained shut in the past.
Nearly 16-17 years ago, Udinese first began exploring Azerbaijani talent. One of the earliest to catch their eye was Araz Abdullayev, who impressed scouts with his technical skill and physical attributes. Despite the initial excitement, Abdullayev failed to fully meet expectations.
Later, two 17-year-olds from FC Baku, Rahman Hajiyev and Andrey Popoviç, were invited to Italy. Their story followed a similar pattern—promise, but no breakthrough into top-tier football.
Since then, many young Azerbaijani players have trained with clubs across Europe, including in Germany and Spain. However, none have managed to establish themselves in the elite leagues, known as the “Big Five” (England, Spain, Italy, Germany, France).
But now, hopes are pinned on the new generation from Qarabag’s academy. These players carry the ambition not just to train abroad—but to truly break into top-flight football and finally shatter the ceiling that has so far limited Azerbaijani talent on the biggest stages.
Vugar Kheyrullayev
Idman.biz
