Footballers to test skills in Europe
Young Namibian footballers have left for Belgium to take part in the Euro Bierbeek football tournament.
A group of 16 under-13 boys from the Cattle Country Football Academy (CCFA) in the Omaheke Region will participate in the 32nd edition of the Euro Bierbeek Football tournament in Belgium from 11 to 13 August.
In an interview with Nampa last week, the founder of CCFA, Rasta Mbuende, said the tournament will feature football clubs from Manchester City, Everton and Chelsea in the United Kingdom; AZ Alkmaar from Netherlands; FC Copenhagen from Denmark; FC Anzhi from Russia; RB Leipzig, Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt from Germany.
Namibia will be the first and only African country to be represented in the three-day tournament, which will be attended by scouts from all over the world.
“I am very excited by the prospects of the boys participating in this tournament. We have been training hard and looking for such opportunities to come our way,” said Mbuede.
The former African Stars player said he established the academy in 2016 with the aim of exporting at least 20 players in the next five years to top European clubs.
Mbuende said he looked at the lifestyles of players aged 17 and above, and noticed most of them already led a lifestyle not befitting a serious football player.
“I decided to start with them at a young age so I can help them with the life skills as well.”
He added that after attending a coaching course at Leipzig in Germany early last year, he considered joining other academies in Namibia but noticed that the owners of those academies were bent on making money, rather than developing talent.
The coach said lack of development and competitive football at school was making it difficult for the country to develop talent.
Mbuende, who is currently training only under-13 boys, said financial challenges almost put paid to their hopes of participating in this tournament before First National Bank, Standard Bank Namibia, Breweries and Air Namibia chipped in.
“Namibian ambassador to Belgium Kaire Mbuende called me and alerted me that there was a tournament of this magnitude, and I immediately declared my interest,” he said.
When asked how prepared his team is, Mbuende said the boys promised to play well to attract the attention of top European teams.
The team left on Thursday for South Africa, where they hope to acquire Belgian Schengen visas after they failed to get such in Namibia at the Germany embassy due to late confirmation of sponsorship.
NAMPA
In an interview with Nampa last week, the founder of CCFA, Rasta Mbuende, said the tournament will feature football clubs from Manchester City, Everton and Chelsea in the United Kingdom; AZ Alkmaar from Netherlands; FC Copenhagen from Denmark; FC Anzhi from Russia; RB Leipzig, Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt from Germany.
Namibia will be the first and only African country to be represented in the three-day tournament, which will be attended by scouts from all over the world.
“I am very excited by the prospects of the boys participating in this tournament. We have been training hard and looking for such opportunities to come our way,” said Mbuede.
The former African Stars player said he established the academy in 2016 with the aim of exporting at least 20 players in the next five years to top European clubs.
Mbuende said he looked at the lifestyles of players aged 17 and above, and noticed most of them already led a lifestyle not befitting a serious football player.
“I decided to start with them at a young age so I can help them with the life skills as well.”
He added that after attending a coaching course at Leipzig in Germany early last year, he considered joining other academies in Namibia but noticed that the owners of those academies were bent on making money, rather than developing talent.
The coach said lack of development and competitive football at school was making it difficult for the country to develop talent.
Mbuende, who is currently training only under-13 boys, said financial challenges almost put paid to their hopes of participating in this tournament before First National Bank, Standard Bank Namibia, Breweries and Air Namibia chipped in.
“Namibian ambassador to Belgium Kaire Mbuende called me and alerted me that there was a tournament of this magnitude, and I immediately declared my interest,” he said.
When asked how prepared his team is, Mbuende said the boys promised to play well to attract the attention of top European teams.
The team left on Thursday for South Africa, where they hope to acquire Belgian Schengen visas after they failed to get such in Namibia at the Germany embassy due to late confirmation of sponsorship.
NAMPA
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