Four teenage footballers are set for a two week training camp in Spain after charming some Spanish talent scouts at a tournament in Gweru last week.
Speaking after the ATS 2024 Under 13 inter-provincial soccer tournament held at the Midlands Christian College, Javier Ornia, the General Manager of Nastic Sports Academy (NSA) said the tournament was good ground to identify talent.
He said the raw talent that they identified, if well nurtured, have the potential to become world class players.
The four outstanding players who were selected for the fully paid two-week training and exposure programme camp are Mufudzi Mandiwanzira (St John's Prep), Shamakh Zhuwakini (Hellenic) Ndadiwa Pepukai (St John's Prep) and Timothy Ndebele (Petra College).
The players will be exposed to top class training facilities and join other talented youngsters from Europe and South America who are set to participate.
The academy facilitates access and opportunities for student athletes with a combination of innovative educational and sports projects on campus.
"We were so impressed by the young talent we saw in this tournament," Ornia said. "Our plan was to take the two best players, but the choice was so difficult. We had to increase the number to four. We were so impressed with the talent. We chose the four who played the ball well, which is the best brand of international football," he said.
"I think they have talent and if they come to Spain, they will learn some ways and play more differently and better," he added.
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"They will have one full week of training with our coaches. There will be 200 people from different nationalities training four hours per day with high level tutors."
The ATF inter-provincial tournament in Gweru was a football fiesta attended by among others, the Premier Soccer League boss Farai Jere
