*Undated
Cameroon is currently in the limelight with the Africa Cup of Nations being the main focus. One major area that has to be mentioned is how the nation has frequently produced incredible football stars over the past years.
Teamkenya.co.ke dives into one of the best football Academies in the continent. The Brasseries Football School in Cameroon, Douala has nurtured some of Africa’s greatest players since it began operating in 1989.
The distinguished academy has sent footballers to some of the world's top clubs, as well as to Cameroon’s national team.
Vincent Aboubakar, Clinton Njie, Ignatius Ganogo: The trio who play for Cameroon’s ‘Indomitable Lions’ in the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) are all three products of the Brasseries Football School, one of the most distinguished football academies in Africa.
The academy was founded in 1989 as part of a philanthropic programme for young people by Brasseries du Cameroun, a subsidiary of the French brewing and beverage giant Castel. Children from all over Cameroon dream of being among the 11 trainees selected every year for the school’s six-year course.
The academy adopted a sport and study programme in 2008, housing trainees on site in three dormitories fitted with mosquito nets for each age category: U14, U16 and U18.
The president of the Brasseries Football School, Jacques Elimbi, and its general manager, Jean Flaubert Nono, are behind the development of this sport and study programme.
The Brasseries Football School course includes academic studies to make sure trainees get an education beyond their football training.
Trainees go through an intense, military-like course. Up at dawn, they start their day by attending classes outside the academy grounds. They come back in the afternoon, after a nap, for their football training session. Their day ends with some further tutoring, to make sure that academic studies remain a priority.
Nono, the academy’s general manager, acknowledges that the trainees, aged between 12 and 18, “do not live a normal life for their age”. The 53-year-old, who comes from the French city of Lyon, has a long career in football management. He is a figure of authority whose words always carry weight at the academy.
Although he does not coach himself, Nono always keeps an eye on the training sessions. The coach of the U14s is an alumni of the Brasseries Football School who never made it as a professional player.
A New Football Generation:
Aspiring footballers train in a field surrounded by huge posters of the stars who passed through the Brasseries Football School. The members of the Cameroon national team that won the CAN in 2000, 2002, and 2017 stare down on the trainees practising dribbling on the lawn.
Prestigious alumni regularly return to the academy training grounds in Douala to share their insights with trainees. "When they come back, it's like a family reunion," said Nono, the school’s general manager.
The Brasseries Football School faces several challenges, including organising tournaments against other young players.
With minimal logistical support from the Cameroon Football Federation, it is up to the academy to plan regular matches against teams from other football schools. Three tournaments organised by Brasseries du Cameroun allow trainees to practise in real conditions.
Stiff Competition at the Academy:
Another challenge the academy faces is the intensifying competition to detect and attract young talents.
The academy relies on a nationwide tournament organised by Brasseries du Cameroun each year during the major holiday break. The top 100 take part in the final in capital Yaounde, with only 11 players eventually joining the course.
The end of the programme can also be quite stressful for trainees since the school does not have privileged relations or agreements with professional football clubs.