A total of 16 young football players picked from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe, have been selected to play in the forthcoming Donosti Cup, in Spain next July.
The global event is an International Youth Football tournament usually held in Spain every July.
Donosti Cup is being described as an International Grassroots Football Tournament held annually in San Sebastian, Spain.
The tourney usually takes place during the first week of the seventh month of each year.
It is aimed at teams belonging to soccer clubs, soccer schools, technical academies and schools participating in school leagues.
The 16 football candidates from Africa were selected from the 27 young footballers that qualified with flying colors during the Arusha-held East African Youth Soccer tourney, known as the Chipkizi Cup.
The soccer event for schools was organized by the Future Stars Academy (FSA) last December 2024.
“We are going to participate in the Under-16 category,” explained the Future Stars Coach and Chipkizi Cup Coordinator, Peter Tito, adding that more than 900 teams from 30 countries around the world will participate in Spain’s Donosti Cup taking place from July 3rd to 17th, 2025.
According to Tito, Spain is currently the benchmark of International Soccer competition and therefore if the local players can match the Spanish standards, it will be a catalyst for improved games in Tanzania and East Africa.
The outstanding sports candidates were placed at a trial camp at the Kennedy House International School, located in the Usa-River section of Meru District in Arusha preparation of the Spain tournament.
Semambo Benard is a football coach from Talent City sports academy in Uganda, expressed gratitude that two of the young footballers from his country have been selected for the Spanish Tourney.
“I am grateful for Chipkizi Cup organizers and Tanzania for creating a platform on which young talents can be spotted, groomed and given chances to play in international games,” said Benard.
One of the young players picked from Kenya is Amon Osoon of Mbooni High School of Nairobi who also thanked the East African Football Tourney for helping them to market their talents abroad.
All the way from Zimbabwe is Frank Jori, a form three student of Pamushana High School of Harare. He is also grateful to Arusha soccer academy and his parents for giving him a chance.
“I have always dreamed of playing for LaLiga league and Bundasliga as well as fielding for big teams such as Manchester City,” stated Jori.