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The Argentinian Jair Bertoni has always been crazy about football – and that love for the game led him to pursue a career in football administration, first enrolling in the FIFA Master, which led him to work at the European Leagues, and ultimately to FIFA, as Director of Member Associations Americas.

Jair breathes football since a very young age. His father, Daniel Bertoni, won the FIFA World Cup in Argentina in the same year he was born. He reflects: “football has always been part of my life, incorporated in my genes, but also integrated in the culture of the places where I grew up, namely Argentina and Italy”. In 2004, he was already working in sport, in Buenos Aires, when he decided to pursue his dream to study and work in Europe.

After graduating from the FIFA Master in 2005, Jair worked for almost ten years as Head of Administration of the European Leagues (previously known as EPFL), the entity representing the voice of the 31 major European football leagues and associations of clubs at international level. During his time at the European Leagues, he managed the operational and political relations with senior authorities of football governing bodies (such as FIFA, UEFA, FIFPro, ECA, etc.), as well as European and international political institutions and national governments. He also worked as a consultant for FIFA, before joining the organization in November 2016.

In this interview, Jair Bertoni talks about his role at the world governing body for football, and how important the FIFA Master was for his career.

FMA Quarterly: What is your job like, as Director of Member Associations (MAs) Americas at FIFA?

Jair Bertoni: I am responsible for the relations with 23 MAs in the region of Americas. In particular, my main duties are to support the MAs with the development of football in a comprehensive manner, from the set-up of their internal structure and strategic framework to the organization of competitions and building of new or refurbished infrastructure, among other key areas and projects. My objective is to effectively implement the FIFA Forward Program, the primary development program of FIFA. In addition, I liaise between other FIFA divisions and the authorities and administrations of those MAs in order to cooperate on implementing different projects and activities in other fields’, like governance, women's football, amongst others. In a nutshell, I assist these 23 MAs in several aspects relevant for growing football in that specific region.

FMAQ: What is the thing that you love about your job? And what is its biggest challenge?

JB: I love to develop football. Football is not just a sport but also a catalyst for a better society. When you can collaborate to improve this part of football, you are directly contributing to make true the dreams of thousands of girls and boys, as they can now play in great conditions due to the installment of new football pitches or the creation of a regional or national competition, for example. This is when you can feel a sense of accomplishment. (The biggest challenge is) to improve the capacity of the MAs to operate efficiently. It is necessary to invest in people and reinforce the administration of the MAs to have proper planning and long-standing efficient strategies in place.

FMAQ: How important was the FIFA Master for your career?

JB: The FIFA Master was definitely a turning point. From the professional and personal perspectives, it is priceless to study and work closely with people from a wide range of nationalities, understanding their cultures and idiosyncrasies, and promoting a constructive team spirit. For me, the FIFA Master was the door that opened the possibility to learn more about sport worldwide and, above all, enter the sport labor market in Europe.

FMAQ: Are you still in touch with classmates or other alumni? How important is that network for you?

JB: It has been more than a decade since I graduated from the FIFA Master and not only l am still in touch with them, but I have made friends for life. I always highlight that the alumni association is by far amongst the strongest positive aspect of the FIFA Master. The alumni offer an extensive network constituted by qualified professionals working in the sports industry in all the corners of the world.

SHORT PROFILE

Jair Emanuel Bertoni, Argentinean and Italian

Director of Member Association Americas at FIFA

FIFA Master Class: 2005

Favourite sport: football

Favourite team: Club Atlético Boca Juniors

Favourite sport's personality: Besides my father (Ricardo Daniel Bertoni), my footbal idols are Ronaldo Nazário and Zinedine Zidane

Favourite sport's moment: The Intercontinental Cup 2000 and Argentina's gold medal in Men's Basketball at the 2004 Olympic Games