In Abidjan, the sport academy fueling Ivory Coast's football dreams

In the heart of Abidjan, the capital of Ivory Coast, dozens of teenagers in red and green football gears are training with one dream in mind: to become the next Didier Drogba. 

They are members of the Africa Sport Academy, a programme that helps young football hopefuls achieving their goal, of playing for a European club one day. 

The Academy was founded by former international player Michel Goba, who played in French clubs in the 80s, and was a mentor to his nephew, the former Chelsea star Didier Drogba. 

Born in Ivory Coast in 1978, he moved to France at the age of 5 to pursue a career in football. During his 9-year tenure at Chelsea in England, he became the club's fourth highest scorer of all time with 164 goals. He was also the captain of the national Ivory Coast football team from 2006 until 2014.

Drogba's success story is definitely an inspiration for the members of the academy.

''Most of the players you see here, their parents are in Europe. Most of them are children of parents who also played for the Africa Sports Club in Abidjan, who played football in the 70s and 80s, and who were lucky enough to end up in Europe with Michel Goba, the owner of our academy”, explained local football coach Olivier Apabe. 

"When they have a good situation there and the child plays well with the ball, they're looking to send their child away. It's the parents themselves who send their child away to enroll them in a school that combines sports and studies.” 

Football is a profession I've loved since I was little. When I was at school, I played football; it's my passion”, said Prince Theodore Kouakou, a student from the Africa Sport Academy. “I want to become like Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto'o, and others. It's my passion, it's something I live for. Without football, it's like I'm nothing in life'' 

The academy is part of Africa Sports Abidjan, one of the most famous clubs in the country. Founded in 1947, it became the first Ivorian club to win the African Cup Winner’s Cup in 1992.