Magaya invites scouts from Juventus to identify young talent in Zimbabwe

Prophetic, Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries’ leader Prophet Walter Magaya has confirmed that his Yadah Football Academy in partnership with City Sports Academy will bring scouts from Serie A giants Juventus to Harare at the end of August.

“We are bringing (scouts) from the Juventus Academy side to Zimbabwe in August,” said Magaya.

Juventus who are home to the World Cup winner Paul Pogba, also confirmed their scouts are visiting Zimbabwe for a five-day football event to be held at Yadah Hotel from 26-30 August 2023.

“Hello Zimbabwe, I’m Fahim Hamza from Juventus Academy Oman. I’m the head of the elite programme in the goalkeeping department. It’s a privilege we are visiting Zimbabwe this August in the summer.

“We want to say thank you to prophet Walter Magaya and City Academy for making all this happen we look forward to seeing the young boys and girls that Zimbabwe has on offer and we hope its going to be a successful trip for us and hopefully we can scout the talented boys and girls in the country. Thank you,” said Hamza, Juventus’ developmental side(s) coach in a short video clip.

The most successful club in Italy is set to send a high powered delegation that will be accompanied by one of the club’s legends.

Also part of the delegation are David Rizzoli, the club’s technical director and Marcos Dergotes the Area marketing director.

Magaya, who is also the owner of the top flight league side Yadah FC, revealed the purpose of bringing the Italian giants’ scouts from their developmental side to Zimbabwe.

“My goal and agenda to bring Juventus (scouts) in Zimbabwe is to try and bring the sports economy in the country whereby football is taken seriously as a sport especially through partnerships with successful European clubs,” he added.

The passionate football follower as well as a former football administrator with now defunct Gunners FC also said:

“We have managed to invite the Italian giants through Agrippa Guti of City Academy whom that as Yadah Football Academy, we have partnered.

“I believe this will benefit everyone that is involved in football, so that those who own clubs are able to sell these youngsters to well positioned markets dotted around Europe, Asia and America.

“I want to try and bring a certain mode of football in Zimbabwe whereby we start identifying talent at three years so that by the time these budding footballers reach the age of 17 they will be top notch and very marketable anywhere in the world.”

Magaya strongly believes Zimbabwe is a nation with a pool of football talent that can match European players given the promising youngsters are provided with all facilities that help to nurture a player.

Magaya also went on to highlight that the establishment of Yadah Football Academy was centred on supporting the girl child in sport.

Already, the academy which has enrolled 780 players altogether so far, has close to 200 girls on its books.