Benfica Campus Côte d'Ivoire almost underway

BTV REPORT

Benfica Campus was visited by Lancine Diamondé, CEO Sportify Capital - Benfica Campus Côte d'Ivoire, and the SL Benfica technical team involved at local level (Pedro Alegria, technical coordinator, and coaches Carlos Costa, Fábio Alfredo, and Ricardo Costa), at the invitation of the SL Benfica Board of Directors.

In addition to getting to know the facilities at the parent club in depth, they were also welcomed by Guilherme Müller, general director of Benfica Campus, and Fernando Pinto, director of sports projects for youth football. Miguel Reis (global coordinator for SL Benfica's international expansion) and Davide Gomes (technical coordinator for SL Benfica's international projects) accompanied them throughout the visit. 

The visit is related to the fact that Benfica Campus Côte d'Ivoire is about to get underway. Once the final selection stage has been completed, the project, which is the result of a partnership between Benfica and the Ivorian government and Sportify Capital, will start with 132 athletes from different age groups.

Before the official start, Lancine Diamondé was at the Benfica Campus in Seixal, getting to know the facilities and the Benfica reality.

"First, I'd like to thank all the Benfica staff, starting with the president, Rui Costa, for this unforgettable visit to Benfica Campus. Everything went well. I must also thank all the coaches, especially Davide Gomes and Pedro Alegria and their entire team. We traveled 100,000 kilometers in Côte d'Ivoire to detect young talent, and we detected 20,000 young people so that they could join the academy. It was a tour that went very well, and I would like to thank all the members of the Ivorian government, who provided all the necessary conditions to carry out this mission," said the project's local leader.

Benfica Campus is a benchmark in youth football, and Lancine Diamondé explained why: "For me, until you prove otherwise, Benfica has the best academy in the world. I've been coming here for a few years now, and it's the best training center of all time. It has discipline, organization and, above all, it gives opportunities to all young Africans. And we need that in every country in Africa if we are to have good training and good talent."

The project will start in Côte d'Ivoire, but could go beyond the African country. "The next phase is the academic renaissance, which should take place in February, where the coaches will choose 132 young talents to join the academy. That will be the first stage of Benfica Campus Côte d'Ivoire. Then we want to go on another tour to raise awareness among more young people and, why not, beyond the borders of Côte d'Ivoire," left Lancine Diamondé in the air.

A pioneering project and a clear sign of the expansion of the Benfica brand internationally.