Ten years ago, Christian Fuchs was checking in on his son’s soccer training in New York City, only to find the level of coaching and development underwhelming. It was a frustrating discovery for the English Premier League Champion and former Leicester City defender. In a system where parents paid premium prices for youth soccer, Fuchs felt the return on investment simply wasn’t there.
What followed was a bold leap. Together with his wife, Raluca Gold-Fuchs, Christian founded Fox Soccer Academy (FSA) in 2015, a program rooted in elite training, professional experience, and a deep belief in player potential, regardless of background. A decade later, FSA has grown into an international network of academies across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Austria, all unified by a mission to deliver world-class soccer education and personal development.
“The coaching wasn’t there,” Christian recalls. “And in the U.S. pay-to-play model, that’s not good enough. I knew we had the experience and the values to build something better; so we did.”
What sets FSA apart isn’t just the experience of its founders, but the philosophy behind it. The academy prioritizes quality over quantity, focusing on individual development, academic excellence, and character-building, all with a global framework. Young players can start as early as age five and grow within the team through to adulthood, with opportunities to train at other international FSA locations if they choose.
Truly, FSA’s model is to nurture the players. From sports psychologists and nutritionists to full academic programs in the UK, players are supported holistically. The academy’s UK branches offer full-time education for students, combining GCSEs and A-levels with high-level football training in Leicester and London.
“We don’t expect kids to just turn up, play, and go home,” says Raluca. “We’re raising individuals, not just athletes. That includes everything from teaching values to offering support when they need it, on or off the pitch.”
In 2018, the Fuchs family made a transformative investment: they acquired a former prison in Orange County, NY. The 36-acre property, originally commissioned by Eleanor Roosevelt in the 1930s, is now the beating heart of FSA: Hudson Sports Complex.
Opened in 2019, it features multiple outdoor and indoor fields, a lake, and plans for a hotel to host overnight summer sports camps. “When we saw the place, we fell in love,” Raluca shares. “It was picturesque, historic, and full of potential. It allowed us to catapult the academy to a whole new level.” The facility serves both as a training hub for FSA teams and a community destination for multiple sports, from lacrosse to kayaking.
For the Fuchs, no player should be denied an opportunity due to financial hardship. That is why, through the Foxes Sports Foundation, a nonprofit arm of the academy, FSA has distributed a significant amount in scholarships. Many of the players in the US come from minority backgrounds.
“We don’t like turning away good players,” she says. “Those who receive scholarships often give their 110%. They lift the entire team and demonstrate what true grit and gratitude look like.”
The foundation supports players not just with tuition assistance but with life-enhancing values, honesty, perseverance, respect, and integrity, all embedded in every training session and team culture.
To further support players after the age of 18, FSA launched a dedicated agency arm, guiding athletes who wish to pursue professional careers. In the UK alone, quite a few players have already entered the professional system, with many under agency management.
“We’ve had kids come to us off the streets,” says UK-based FSA director Mark Smith, who joined the venture right after the academy was formed. “Now they’re signing with pro teams. Families trust us to look after their children, and we take that responsibility seriously.”
FSA’s momentum continues. The academy was recently selected by Kia UK, an official World Cup sponsor, to lead Team England in an international tournament, selecting young players to become official ball carriers at the next World Cup. Seven players, aged 11 to 13, will compete against counterparts from Brazil, France, Australia, and others for the prestigious role.
Back home, FSA’s North Carolina locations have broken into MLS Next, the highest youth league in the U.S., with ambitions for all locations to follow suit. “We’re always evolving,” says Raluca. “New partnerships, new programs, new leagues; we want to create success stories for every child who walks through our doors.”
What began as a frustrated father’s mission to build something better has grown into a multi-country powerhouse redefining youth soccer. For Christian and Raluca Fuchs, FSA is far more than a business; it’s a passion project, a community, and a family. “We’ve grown up with these kids,” says Raluca. “Watching them grow, seeing the people they become; this is our life’s work.”
