The president of the National Professional Football Association (ANFP) and the Chilean Football Federation (FFCh), Pablo Milad, argued that the Golden Generation limited the emergence of new talent for the Chilean national team. He made the remarks during the 5th International Football Congress 2026, held in Chile.
According to BioBioChile, the official described the squad that won two Copa América titles as a generation that emerged spontaneously. "There was no specific work or grassroots development; rather, different players who played in major leagues came together and formed a great team," he said.
Milad added that, after reviewing the national team's historical performance in competitions and points earned, the ANFP concluded that Chile ranked seventh. On that basis, he argued that Chile cannot keep waiting for another group like that.
"The anxiety over results is tied to a Golden Generation that contributed a great deal, but it must also be said that this same Golden Generation limited the path for emerging new talent," he stated.
The football chief also outlined the shortcomings he found in clubs' youth systems. "They would tell me, 'we keep the least bad players,' because not many players come through and we have no choice," he recalled. His response was to broaden participation through futsal, considering that 99% of youth players will not reach the professional level.
According to Cooperativa, Milad used the congress to defend his record. He said his administration increased the number of youth football matches by 75%, that Chile ranks second in South America in the number of matches and that investment reached almost 6,000 million pesos.
As an example, he cited Santiago Wanderers' title in the Under-20 Copa Libertadores. "It means the Chilean championship is not as bad as many people say," he argued. He also emphasized that the working methodology is the same from the Under-15s to the senior team and that the José Sulantay Complex brought "dignity" to youth football.
The Curicó native acknowledged his responsibility for the senior La Roja team's poor current form, although he shared the blame. "I have accepted responsibility for the poor results, but it is also everyone's responsibility," he said, calling for cooperation with the clubs. He mentioned that there are no longer stars like Alexis Sánchez or Arturo Vidal, but that young players are coming through "with a lot of hunger."
The ANFP Council of Presidents will elect his successor on November 19.
