Sports
PSG Academy Rwanda promises a brighter future for football
Remember
Nicolas Anelka? Recall that he played for Arsenal, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Man
City, Fenerbahce, Bolton Wanderers, Chelsea, Shanghai Shenhua, Juventus, West
Brom and Mumbai City, and had two spells at PSG? Well, Anelka wasn't the only
most high-profile graduate of the PSG academy in the modern era.
Patrice
Evra’s career might be best remembered for his eight-year spell with Manchester
United, but the 81-time France international, also turned out for Juventus,
Marseille and West Ham. But Evra came through the PSG youth ranks in 1997-1998.
So
did Kingsley Coman. The flying winger, arguably the most high-profile PSG
academy product still playing the game, now plays for the German Goliath,
Bayern Munich.
The
list of former products of the kings of French football (PSG) academy who left
to succeed elsewhere is long but let's just stop at Coman. The case has been
made. Right?
Enter
the PSG Academy World Cup. The Paris Saint-Germain Academy's premier annual
event has been held since 2016. Thousands of football lovers from all over the
world visit French capital, Paris, and enjoy a unique three-day football
experience every year.
The
latest gala was from June 2 to 6.
And,
guess what? In the end, Samuel Shema, a Rwandan kid who scored the lone goal
for his country’s U11 side in the final, against PSG Academy-Brazil, was named
the tournament’s MVP. Oh, yes. The most valuable player. Better still, Shema's
compatriot Derrick Ntakirutimana grabbed the goalkeeper of the tournament award
after conceding only four goals in eight games.
There
was more.
Rwanda’s
U11 and U13 teams were, respectively, crowned 2023 PSG Club World Cup
champions after beating Brazil in the final at the Parc des Princes.
Rwanda’s U13 team retained the trophy it first won in 2022 after trouncing
Brazil in the final 4-3 on penalties. The U11 team also earned their first
title of the competition in which they finished fourth in 2022 after beating
Brazil 3-2 on penalties.
Shema
and all the other kids in the PSG Academy which is based in Huye district, in
southern Rwanda, don’t live and train in Paris but it is still a PSG Academy anyway.
True, time will tell. And it will take dedication, patience, care, love, and
more, to make the dream come true. There is hope. That matters a lot, if you
know the Rwandan story. And spirit.
The
youngsters’ victory sparked joy, and hope, in the hearts of the country’s
football fans. Sports commentators believe that PSG Academy Rwanda shows a
brighter future for football in the east African country.
“People
might think that we won against an average Brazil side but we all know that
Brazil is a world class footballing nation. We beat tough Brazil and this is a
statement that Rwanda has got talent. It’s just matter of giving these young
boys time. I have a feeling that, in these young boys, the future of Rwandan
football is bright,” the team's senior coach, Grace Nyinawumuntu, said.
The
academy combines football and education; the young talents are given the right
platform to become big stars in future.
The
academy is a flagship program of the partnership between French football club, PSG,
and the government of Rwanda through the latter’s Visit Rwanda brand. Visit
Rwanda is the tourism-focused arm of the Rwanda Development Board, a government
body responsible for fast-tracking Rwanda’s economic development by enabling
private sector growth. Visit Rwanda aims at giving football hopefuls the
opportunity to fulfil their potential in top-class sporting facilities with
coaches specially trained by the club.
It
opened its doors in Huye district southern
Rwanda, in 2020, offering 100 per cent PSG training sessions to more than 100
children, some of them beneficiaries of the club’s Foundation. It now has up to
200 kids.
Rwanda
and the French football club signed a three-year long partnership in December
2019, but it was extended in May 2023, to 2025 following its success.
The
agreement aims at showcasing Rwanda as a top tourism and investment destination
in Africa, developing cultural, creative synergies, and promoting Rwandan
coffee and tea.
Related: PSG deal a big win for Rwanda
The
partnership with PSG followed another with English Premier League club, Arsenal
FC, signed in 2018.
Since
the beginning of the partnerships, the big ‘Visit Rwanda’ logo is hard to miss
at the Parc des Princes and Emirates stadiums on match days. It also appears on
men’s teams’ training and warm-up kits. Additionally, fans in Europe are
enjoying Rwandan tea and coffee, served exclusively at the stadiums.
Coaches
from Arsenal are working with Rwandan coaches to support development of the
country’s football program. Recently, a five-day ‘coach-the-coaches’ football
clinic was led by Arsenal coaches including Simon McManus and Kerry Green.
During the clinic, 50 coaches from Rwanda were trained.
“No
longer just consumers of sports, Rwandans are engaging with the business of
sport with the ‘Visit Rwanda’ brand. The partnership with Arsenal FC and Paris
Saint-Germain allows us, each week, to promote Rwanda and particularly our
tourism industry to billions of fans. Visit Rwanda’s partnership with the NBA
Africa brought us the first edition of the Basketball Africa League, a success
despite taking place in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic,” Clare Akamanzi,
CEO of Rwanda Development Board, wrote in March.
The
partnerships generated over $160 million 2022 in media value. This helped in
generating $445 million in tourism revenues.
The
revenue represented 90 per cent recovery to pre-pandemic levels, as compared to
a global average of 65 per cent recovery, according to the World Tourism
Organization.
Verdict?
There is light at the end of the tunnel.