L-R Blaugrana Sports International CEO, Mr. Leslie Oghomienor, Project Manager for FC Barcelona in Europe and Africa Football Schools, Inaki Gonzallo, Special Adviser on Sports to Lagos Governor, Mr. Deji Tinubu and Chairman of Lagos State Football Association, Mr. Seyi Akinwunmi during the unveiling of FC Bescola Soccer School at Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere recently.

As part of the effort to encourage the talent of less privileged children, chairman of Lagos State Sports Commission, Mr. Deji Tinubu and the chairman of Lagos State Football Association, Seyi Akinwunmi have promised to sponsor 15 children to FC Barcelona Soccer School when it takes in Lagos on 17 September.

The soccer school, FC Bescola Lagos Academy was unveiled in Lagos during the Sallah holiday with a road map which will see it taking off at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere in September. The road-map, which was kicked off with an unveiling ceremony early this week, will be followed by selection of 50 Nigerian coaches, aggressive marketing campaign in television, digital and media plan, players’ tryouts and finally public presentation of FC Bescola Lagos on 17 September.

Tinubu, who is also the Special Adviser on Sports to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode disclosed that the FC Brescola Lagos, one of 22 of such schools managed by FC Barcelona across the world, will not come so cheap because of the pedigree of the club in global football.

“That is why I will be taking it upon myself to sponsor 10 children to the school as part of my contribution to encourage the talent of many of our children who will not be able to afford the school,” Tinubu said.

“FC Bescola Lagos will kick start proper football development in the state. FC Barcelona have the value, style and culture which they guide jealously, and I’m so glad that all the children in the academy will have everything FC Barcelona value in them, ” he said.

Akinwunmi, who is the Vice President of Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, said that he too will take the bills of five children in the school.

He said that FC Bescola Lagos is a dream come true and “a vision that will outlive all of us, more importantly, it will make Lagos a reference point in Africa football.” yv

Akinwunmi disclosed that the 50 coaches selected for the school was picked through a transparent selection supervised by the technical and development committee of the NFF.

Blaugrana Sports International CEO, Oghomienor, said that FC Bescola Lagos is being established primarily to cater for residential and commuter football pupils from 6 to 18 years, while secondary targets such as amateur football players, professional players, recreational players, professional coaches and Nigerian sports community will also benefit immensely from the school that will based its teaching on FC Barcelona’s training.