Roseland Football Academy player. | Photo: Michael Daniel

Luka Hakim has found a passion in coaching young players at his Roseland Football Academy in the Gudele suburban area of Juba City – with some of the youngsters aiming to play in the European football.

Hakim, 35, said his academy, which was established in February 2022, now trains about 70 players with an age range of 6, 10, 12, and 14 years.

Most of the players are studying at the primary school level.

Coach Hakim said that he not only teaches them the art of football but also reshapes them into good children who will be responsible adults in the future.

“The goal of establishing the academy is to provide text and guidance to these children, protect them from moral deviation, and contribute to helping them review school lessons,” he told Eye Radio.

“The higher goal is to create a conscious and understanding generation that carries in its heart love and distance from the tribe.”

Hakim, a professional coach attended training courses on football from Right Play in 2004 and Youth Training Philosophy from Maadi Academy in Egypt in 2018.

The volunteer coach also said he plans to establish link between the academy players and the national football team.

Hakim said the task of building football talent is also a way of keeping the children away from joining street thugs.

“I am striving now to join the players to the national teams and to include other elements from the rest of the neighborhoods in order for them to merge into one playground with their various tribes.”

“I hope to provide a suitable environment for these children to practice football and take advantage of their leisure time so that they do not join street gangs despite the economic difficulties.”

He told Eye Radio his biggest dream is to see some of his academy players in the national team, at least in 2025.

However, the academy is facing a lot of challenges – from bad playground to lack of sportswear, football kits and other equipment.

Hakim said, while he doesn’t ask the players to contribute anything due to the economic situation, there is little to no support by well-wishers for his broke academy.

But he is even determined to expand the academy by recruiting children from other residential areas in the hope that he could win the heart of some good Samaritans one day.

“I am trying, through football, to teach these children the meaning of unity and brotherhood, and for them to distance themselves from tribalism and hatred,” he said.

One of his players – Referendum Steven (named after the 2010 referendum when he was born) is now aged 14 years and studying in Primer 6.

He said has learned a lot about dribbling, passes, and clinical shooting on goal.

But he has one seemingly unimaginable dream – to play for the English Premier League side Liverpool.

“I am dreaming to be a professional player in the Liverpool team,” he said.

Another player, 12-year-old Yuhanaa Lugalai, a Primary 5 pupil and a right winger on the pitch – says he wants to play for the Bright Stars as well as for the Spanish team Barcelona.

Saber Augustino, nicknamed Neymar, is a 9-year-old midfielder said he hopes to ascend to his caliber, while Jacob Yay, 12, said he wants to become a professional Chelsea player.