By Linda Kwanjana
Fifteen-year-old Malawian football prodigy Mtameni Eisenhower Mkaka has officially joined European elite football academy Marcet University in Barcelona, Spain.
The youngster has already begun his dual academic and sporting program at the prestigious academy which combines professional football training with international education.
Confirming the development, his father Eisenhower Mkaka said he is proud of his son’s football journey.
He described Mtameni as a standout talent who excels both in class and on the football field and said seeing him join Marcet University in Barcelona is a huge blessing and a dream come true for the family.
Malawi’s renowned football commentator Zifa Banda has hailed the move as massive news for Malawi football.
Banda said the acceptance of a 15-year-old Malawian into an academy in Spain proves that the country has real talent capable of competing internationally.
Banda said the impact of the move goes beyond football. He explained that when Malawian players make it in Europe they bring forex into the country through salaries, signing fees and endorsements.
He added that it also markets Malawi as a tourist and talent destination because when a boy from Malawi is in Barcelona, scouts and agents start looking at Malawi, which puts the country on the world map and inspires thousands of young boys from Chitipa to Nsanje.
Mtameni is expected to stay at the academy for a two-year program where he will be assessed by top European clubs.
