DOHA: Qatar Airways (QA) has partnered with Aspire Academy for Aspire Football Dreams programme to turn dreams of young football players into reality.
Aspire Football Dreams coaches, staff and more than 4,000 volunteers, assessed 400,000 13-year-old football players, at about 650 football fields in 14 countries over the last year.
Those selected to enter the Academy this year, will form the QA & Aspire Academy – Football Dreams Africa team, and will be flown to Barcelona to play against FC Barcelona’s youth team, courtesy of the airline.
Each year, the programme selects up to 20 13-year-old boys who go through a rigorous assessment process in the hopes of being selected to attend the Academy where they train, compete, study and learn to manage their lives and careers successfully, with the goal of one day playing for a professional club or their respective national teams. Having already tested two million football players since the beginning of the programme eight years ago, Aspire Football Dreams is the largest-ever talent search in football.
QA Group Chief Executive, Akbar Al Baker, said: “QA is extremely proud to be partnering with Aspire Football Dreams in Africa, a programme that not only encourages sport, which is in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030, but that also provides a life-changing opportunity for youth that are willing to work hard to nurture and develop their natural talents. We are pleased to be able to fly the QA & Aspire Academy – Football Dreams Africa team to Barcelona to participate in a friendly match between the FC Barcelona youth team, and wish both teams the best of luck.”
“The game in Barcelona is going to be a great experience for these youngsters, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We are delighted and proud that QA partners up with us in this unique initiative. Giving young people in Africa the chance to fulfil their potential and pursue their dream of playing football on the world stage is an important objective for ASPIRE. They will grow as individuals through this special project,” said Ivan Bravo, Director General of Aspire Academy, on the upcoming game in Barcelona.
After flying in from all over the African continent to Senegal, the boys met with their new teammates and spent the week training before taking to the pitch in two matches against Spanish youth team, RCD Espanyol. Coaches had the opportunity to assess each of the players on the field as they worked together to defeat RCD Espanyol 1-0 in the first match, and held them off during the final match, walking off the field nil-nil.
Results of the Aspire Football Dreams programme have already been made evident with a number of graduating students being signed to professional teams in Europe, including Diawandou Diagne, who signed with FC Barcelona B team this past July. QA is also offering fans a chance to fly to Barcelona to watch the friendly match between the QA & Aspire Academy – Football Dreams Africa team and FC Barcelona youth team.
The Peninsula
