File: Acadey project, Samson Azeez
One of Nigeria’s fast-growing football academies, The Future Academy, recently embarked on a football training tour of Portugal with four young players, where they played against teams from Atlético Madrid, S.L. Benfica and Sporting CP.
By the time they returned to Lagos, what truly announced them to the wider public was one voice — innocent yet reflective — that captured the imagination of many.
That voice belonged to Samson Azeez, the academy’s eight-year-old prodigy who became a fan favourite during the Portugal trip.
The youngster’s heartfelt reflections after returning from Portugal offered more than a glimpse into the tour itself. They revealed the transformative work happening quietly within The Future Academy, where football development is closely tied to education, emotional growth and exposure to opportunities beyond the streets where many of the children were discovered.
