Sergio Jordan is the Chief Scout of Fortaleza CEIF, where he leads the club’s talent acquisition strategy with a strong focus on Colombia’s top youth prospects. Since July 2025, his mission has been clear: identify high-performance U-15 to U-20 players with elite potential and build a direct pathway from the academy to the first team.
At Fortaleza, Jordan works across all levels of the club. He aligns signings with the coaching staff’s tactical vision, designs development plans with the Academy Director, and justifies investments to management. His strategy combines long-term youth development with short-term results, targeting profiles that can both impact the pitch and generate financial return.
Before Fortaleza, Jordan spent three years as a Football Scout for adidas in Colombia. He built and managed a portfolio of 70 professional and youth players, while scouting the country’s best “Next Gen” talents. His work paid off at international tournaments: in the 2023 U20 World Cup, 8 of 11 Colombian starters were adidas players, and by the 2025 South American U20 Championship, that number rose to 9 of 11.
Earlier in his career, he was a Football Analyst at Scouting Labs, delivering detailed tactical reports for clubs, academies, and agents using tools such as Instat and Wyscout.
Jordan combines technical scouting knowledge with one of the strongest networks in Colombian football. His experience across academies, professional clubs, and international competitions positions him as a key figure in Colombia’s next generation of football leaders.
“My long-term scouting for the academy is informed by the current and future needs of the first team, creating a seamless pipeline.”
Our Exclusive Interview with Sergio Jordan
What makes the Colombian football market unique when it comes to identifying young talent?
First, Colombia has a wide range of landscapes. Top players don’t just come from a few major cities, they’re found all over, from the mountains to the coasts. This leads to a mix of playing styles. For example, players from the Pacific Coast tend to be bigger and more athletic, while those from the Atlantic Coast are often skilled and good at scoring goals. To find these hidden talents, you have to really understand the country.
Then there’s the grassroots scene. In Colombia, there are numerous strong amateur academies and local clubs that compete directly with professional teams for young players. You need to build solid relationships and a strong network to even get a chance at these players.
Finally, the work goes way beyond just watching a player on the field. Many of these young talents come from humble backgrounds, so their development isn’t just about football skills. A significant part of the job is ensuring they receive the necessary cultural and educational support to develop the fundamental habits and maturity required to succeed in the professional world.
How do you balance scouting for immediate first-team needs with long-term youth development at Fortaleza CEIF?
My approach is built on the understanding that long-term youth development and scouting for immediate needs are two sides of the same coin.
On one hand, there’s the long-term vision, which is the very essence of Fortaleza CEIF’s philosophy. My primary focus is to identify and attract high-potential players from the U-15 to U-20 categories. The goal here isn’t just to fill a roster, but to build a legacy. I’m looking for players with a clear path to becoming elite, who, through our academy and professional environment, can grow into core players for our first team or become valuable assets for future transfers.
On the other hand, there’s the immediate need of the professional team. This involves scouting for players who can fill specific tactical gaps and provide an instant return on investment. This part of my job is very precise. I work closely with the coaching staff, the academy director, and the club president to ensure all our scouting efforts are aligned with the club’s objectives.
The key to balancing these two is to make them work together. My long-term scouting for the academy is informed by the current and future needs of the first team, creating a seamless pipeline. When we have a successful youth pipeline, it reduces our reliance on the transfer market for expensive, high-risk signings. At the same time, finding a high-impact player for the first team provides us with the results and stability needed to continue investing in our long-term vision.
Ultimately, both goals are about building a winning team and a sustainable club. It’s a continuous cycle where the success of the youth academy directly supports the first team, and the success of the first team validates our long-term development strategy.
“What truly matters is forming good people in addition to good players.”
During your time at adidas, you helped shape the careers of many “Next Gen” players. What was the most rewarding part of that role?
Honestly, the most rewarding part of my role at adidas was having the privilege of experiencing the process with young players up close. Seeing them when they were just raw talent, when no one else knew them, and being a part of their journey is what made the work so special. In Colombia, football is often a way out and an opportunity for so many, so being able to play a small part in a young player’s career and seeing their life, and their family’s lives, change is a huge source of pride. The greatest reward was watching those players who were once “wild” talents become figures known to fans and the press, knowing you were there at the very beginning of their story.
Which qualities do you look for in a player that signal they can transition from youth football to the professional level?
What do I look for in a player that tells me they’re ready to go pro? It really comes down to three things:
- Their mindset: The pro game is tough, and I need to see a player who is mentally strong. Can they handle pressure? Do they bounce back from mistakes? Are they coachable? That grit and a real desire to get better is what separates good players from great ones.
- Their football IQ: It’s not enough to just be fast or have good skills. I look for players who are smart on the field. Do they know where to be? Can they read the game? That tactical awareness is a huge sign that they can adapt and thrive in a structured professional system.
- Physical readiness and consistency: The professional level is faster and more intense than anything in youth football. I need to see that a player can physically handle it. But more than that, can they perform their skills at a high level, over and over again, without cracking under the pressure? Consistency is what really counts.
How has technology and data analysis changed your approach to scouting and player evaluation?
Technology has transformed my scouting approach, and its biggest benefit is that it acts as an incredibly powerful filtering tool. It allows us to be more efficient by helping us quickly screen a large number of players, accelerating the initial phases of the process. It’s no secret that these tools are evolving every day, which allows us to decrease the margin of error. However, technology only tells me what a player does; it’s my experience, intuition, and personal contact that tell me who they are. The final decision is always based on human judgment, since evaluating a player’s character and personality is something no data can replace.
Looking ahead, what is your vision for Fortaleza CEIF’s academy and its role in Colombian football?
My vision for the Fortaleza academy is simple: to continue consolidating its position as one of the best youth academies in the country. But for me, success goes far beyond just producing great players.
What truly matters is forming good people in addition to good players. In a country where football is a way out for many, it’s my responsibility to instill values, discipline, and habits that transcend the sport. I look for young talents to become leaders both on and off the field, with a solid foundation that prepares them for any challenge life presents.
My goal is for Fortaleza to continue being a consistent producer of talent that not only helps the first team succeed but also leaves its footprint on professional football, both nationally and internationally.
