The Hope of Africa’s Football Talent

Europe has always been the ultimate goal for every footballer around the world. Their clubs and academy programs have produced the best players you see today, so it’s no wonder players from Africa are dreaming of becoming European professionals.

However, in recent times, more and more young African football players are heading to Thailand to pursue their dream of making it big. Currently, over 30 African players are registered in TFL teams, and many more are in lower Thailand’s football leagues. There are estimates that over 6000 players each year move to Thailand, which they see as a window toward Europe.

The Initial Dream

Young African football players today have vast aspirations of succeeding in Europe and obtaining a safe and trouble-free life for themselves and their families. While there are football clubs in Africa, they don’t compare to those in Europe, America, or even some countries in Asia when it comes to development and football commercialization. Due to the lack of funding, low-standard education, and the deteriorating local football industry in Africa, young and talented footballers are trying to find a way out. More and more players are migrating from Africa to other countries each year to find, as they imagine, a better life.

Road to Thailand

In the past decade, many migrating African football players have gone to Thailand, which they see as a stepping stone to Europe. In recent years, the Thai football leagues have received more funding from politicians or individual millionaires that have taken over the local clubs. Currently, if you check out every team in the Thai Football League, they have at least one African player. This year has also seen a rule change, where each team during a game is allowed to have three foreign players and one extra player who is also foreign, however, strictly from Asia. Despite the rule change, teams still value African players as the best assets they can get.

Many of the players you will find in Thai football clubs are still young, ranging from 16 to 20 years old. These players spend their teen years in Thailand, adapting to the lifestyle, learning the culture, and trying to improve their game. It has been recorded that many continue living after retiring from the game.

Recruitment of African Players

Every club in Thailand has scouts they send to African countries in hopes of finding the next big star. Scouts will head to local leagues, attend tournaments or events, and potentially discover talented young footballers willing to run abroad to play. The adjustment period to the life, culture, and way of playing is way shorter for African players than other Asian players. Since young African players are so focused on their dream, it is no surprise that they would adjust and adapt to any environment that promises them a better football career path. On top of that, in African countries such as Ghana, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and others, getting a visa to play in Europe is almost impossible. Thai clubs are aware of this and use it as an argument to attract Africans to their country.

The Dark Side of the Story

While African players have opportunities to head abroad to play, especially in Thailand, most players will never reach Europe. There have been hundreds of examples over the years where young players have been told a dream scenario, and when they arrive abroad, the environment and way of life differ from what was promised. There have been numerous occasions where so-called scouts will lie and betray the player as soon as they get money from them. From the unbearable living conditions and not having to eat anything during the day to scots and fake agents leaving players to fend for themselves after bringing them to Thailand – all is possible.

Most of the time, the parents of these young African players are blinded by agents’ proposals and envision their children making insane amounts of money. Additionally, the unavailability to obtain a European visa in most African countries makes Thailand a good substitute. Most players will end up playing for lower-tier clubs, making barely enough money to get by, and sometimes sending some back home. However, big dreams require big sacrifices – at least, that’s what they have to believe before possibly getting to the next chapter of their careers.