Teenage sensation Ryan Nathan Yao from Ivory Coast, has been selected to join the LALIGA Academy at the ESC Madrid & NBA Centre in Madrid, Spain.
The 15 year old, Nathan, who has been playing in Kenya for the past 10 years and featured at the AIRFC Football Academy based in Nairobi for the last two years, arrived in Madrid over the weekend to join LALIGA Academy.
Nathan earned the coveted spot in the annual program during the try-outs held in April this year in Spain, thanks to the presence LALIGA has in Kenya and their partners. He impressed the coaches with his physical and technical skills.
The program in Madrid is a residency where Nathan and his new teammates will be provided with the best quality in terms of international education and football performance seeking the optimal development of the player from a holistic perspective and with very individualized attention.
LALIGA has for the past eight years been working in many different grassroots projects around the globe (more than 650 projects by 900 top coaches, reaching over 22,000 local coaches and over 200,000 local players).
“The centre has a lot of new technology and very big infrastructures, it looks like the perfect place to become a better athlete. I will miss my family and teammates in Kenya, but I will work hard to make them proud. My goal is to become the best footballer I can be. I have had that dream since I was a kid.” said Nathan.
During the program, Nathan who can play as an attacker or offensive midfielder, is expected to train 5–6 days a week, alongside his teammates drawn from various parts of the world. He will also play against some top football grassroots Academies, top tier football teams like Villarreal CF, RC Celta Vigo or Sevilla FC to showcase what he has learnt.
His coaches from LA program are optimistic that his body will adapt well to the new environment and to their coaching techniques, as he seeks to achieve his dream of playing and studying in Europe.
If all goes well for the young lad, he can be recommended for scholarships to study and play football in the United States of America.
Nathan is hoping to emulate his idols Sergio Ramos or Didier Drogba eyeing a spot in his favorite team Real Madrid.
