RONALDO’S KINGDOM

Petros Kausiyo in ALCOCHETE, Portugal

LEGENDS Football Academy director, Farai Dhliwayo, is confident his charges will emerge from their tour of Portugal a more polished lot.

Dhliwayo arrived in Portugal at the weekend with an Under-17 squad for a training and assessment stint that began on Monday afternoon.

His entourage is housed at Sporting Lisbon’s Cristiano Ronaldo Academy, where they have also been able to mix and mingle with some of the finest talent being trained at this institution.

The Cristian Ronaldo Academy is, according to its project director, Pedro Morgado, home to 60 players from diverse backgrounds.

Some have come from other African countries, which include Angola, Mozambique and Cape Verde.

After a year of courting, Dhliwayo secured the invitation from Sporting Lisbon to tour their centre of excellence, with his players.

The Legends Academy director and coach is a happy man following what he believes was worthwhile investment into the future of Zimbabwe’s game.

“We chose and nurtured a relationship with Sporting Lisbon for a specific reason,” Dhliwayo said.

“They are the only football academy in the world to develop two World Footballers of the Year, Luis Figo and Cristiano Ronaldo.

“This means they have a formula and methodology that works and one we can learn from. 

“We chose to learn from the best and provide insights to our academy players.

“Football is a vocational sport. 

“Our long-term goal is to start producing players capable of following a pathway and eventually integrating into top European teams,” he said.

With 10 players, who helped Portugal win the European Championship having come from Sporting Lisbon, the club has etched its name into the country’s folklore.

Such achievements, Dhliwayo said, could only serve as huge inspiration to the young generation, which wants to do well for its country, including Zimbabwe’s Young Warriors.

“We are in a massive multi-million dollar facility, training a few yards away from first team footballers worth £40 million yet we find both players and staff in this environment are humble, focused and pulling in the same direction.”

Although a host of Portuguese greats have passed through this academy, it is no doubt Manchester United’s number 7, who is idolised by the bulk of the Legends’ teenage army.