Public defence: Anders Belling

Anders Belling is defending his thesis for the degree philosophiae doctor (PhD) at the University of South-Eastern Norway.

He has pursued the PhD program in Culture studies at the Faculty of Humanities, Sports and Educational Science, Department of Sports, Physical Education and Outdoor Studies.

You are invited to follow the trial lecture and the public defence.

• Link to the thesis will come here

Summary

Professionalisation of football and talent development has helped Norwegian football produce better elite players. In recent years this has improved the results of clubs and national teams. However, it also risks narrowing the scope of youth football to performance-based goals. This thesis finds that performance-related goals, efficiency in football academies, and commercial pressures increasingly shape how young players are selected, educated and coached. This comes at the expense of values of inclusion, personal growth, and the traditional links between grassroots and elite football.

The research focuses on the academy of a smaller elite club and examines how national talent initiatives, the growth of sport-focused upper secondary schools, and the academy classification model influence the lives of players involved in and around talent development. It draws on document studies, fieldwork, and interviews to explore how professionalisation affects players and coaches.

The findings show that national initiatives and the academy classification model can encourage early specialisation and favour players who develop early. This risks sidelining late-developing players and weakening the role of grassroots clubs. For players at sport-focused schools, the drive to succeed in football can influence educational choices, reduce time for academic work, and add personal pressure. Some players may have fewer opportunities to explore other interests or future pathways, leaving them focused solely on a career in sport. Coaches, meanwhile, may value the development of the whole person but feel constrained by administrative requirements and a focus on measurable results.

The thesis does not conclude that professionalisation has completely displaced the inclusive and community-oriented values of Norwegian football. Rather, it finds signs that performance and efficiency are increasingly taking priority, and calls for these changes to be examined critically. Talent development should support young people not only as athletes but also as individuals with different abilities, interests, and ambitions. The thesis recommends creating more room for dialogue and ethical decision-making, and ensuring that football’s systems and initiatives serve people, not just performance targets.