At least 43 young football talents have been selected to start with the soon-to-be launched FC Bayern Munich Academy Rwanda.
The Bayern Munich Academy is part of the five-year partnership existing between the German football giants and Visit Rwanda. It is expected to revolutionize football development in Rwanda while providing youngsters with a landmark opportunity to hone their talent and reach new heights in the sport.
The football hopefuls were selected over the weekend after a nationwide talent search conducted by Rwanda's football governing body (FERWAFA) and the Ministry of Sports.
At least 308 football academies and centres participated in the selection that officially started Monday, September 11, in the City of Kigali's three districts Nyarugenge, Kicukiro and Gasabo as well as Bugesera and Gicumbi districts in Eastern and Northern Provinces respectively.
The final selection attracted 100 children aged between 11-13 years. The target was to pick only 40 top talents during the final selection tournament held at Bugesera Stadium on Sunday, but the organizers decided to add three more players thanks to impressive performances.
They were selected based on talent, football skills and potential showcased during a series of training sessions led by homegrown coaches including Eric Nshimiyimana, Alain Kirasa, Yves Rwasamanzi, Moussa Gatera, Sosthene Habimana and Antoine Rutsindura.
The selection was supervised by Bayern Munich FC delegates who had a hand in deciding who would make it in the club's academy.
According to FERWAFA second vice-president in charge of Technical Development, Richard Mugisha, the club's development initiative will not only help football hopefuls to grow and excel but also contribute to football development in Rwanda in general.
"It has been a good week for us (organizers) and children who attended this programme alike. We have seen exceptional talents during this process," said Mugisha.
"They are all top talents worth selecting but we needed only 40 for this inaugural edition, the Bayern Munich representatives convinced us to add three more because of their exceptional performances."
Mugisha hailed the potential that selected young players showcased during the week-long talent search exercise, adding that the country has taken all measures to take care of them in all possible ways to help them realize their dreams of becoming elite footballers.
The 43 children will be integrated into a permanent 'Residential Football Academy' to prepare them into future players who will be representing the country in different levels of competitions.
"Watching them playing was very emotional, they have a great potential. These children came from deferent parts of the country, some came from Rubavu, Bugesera and many other districts and our target is to bring them together.
Now, the next move is to help them get good schools in Kigali because this is going to be a residential account, we are working with the ministry of education to sort that out. The government will pay school fees for each of the selected players," Mugisha revealed.
Children upbeat
Yvan Ndahiro, 12, is among young talents selected to join the academy. He expressed his excitement after passing the final selection and promised to work even harder to make the country proud.
"I'm extremely excited for this achievement, this is just the beginning and a right path to reaching my dreams. I always dreamed about playing in world's best leagues and I believe, with these good coaches, everything is possible now because Bayern has raised many other football talents," Ndahiro told Times Sport.
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"I would like to thank the government for making this possible. There are many young football talents out there who will benefit from this Academy; now I'm going to work harder to honor the strength and dedication of whoever made this happen," he added.
Bringing FC Bayern Munich Academy in Rwanda is seen by many a significant milestone for the country's football. The academy aims to create a sustainable football ecosystem by fostering local talent and promoting a culture of excellence.
The academy's commitment to football development goes beyond training young players. It also includes initiatives such as coach education programmes, grassroots football projects, and community engagement activities. These efforts aim to create a positive impact at all levels of football in Rwanda, from grassroots to professional level.
