Becoming a footballer is a dream that many around the world would have had at some point.

What isn’t often discussed is how some have a greater chance of making it to the top due to the opportunities and access they have. A baller who has grown up in London is in close proximity to some of the biggest clubs in the world compared to their foreign counterparts who will have to prove themselves at home before they move away in pursuit of top flight dreams.

Most of the top imports in the Premier League have similar stories. They had to become a star in their home nation before getting a move to play in the English top flight, whether that was Asia, Africa or the Americas. You can list a host of stars. From your Mo Salahs and Sadio Manes to your Richarlisons and your Raphinas. They all have stories of making it within their home country before venturing abroad.

In all of these situations, there will be people who have pushed them on to greatness. Vision In Motion Sporting Club are a new gen collective who are doing exactly that out in Ghana.

In recent years, many Ghanaian talents have announced themselves on the biggest stages. Youngsters Mohammed Kudus and Felix Afena-Gyan are just some of the new gen Black Stars that are not only thriving in Europe, they’ve just aided the West African nation to World Cup qualification.

Whereas many academies focus purely on the playing of the game and making of a professional, VIM SC focuses on the individual and wants to develop well-rounded young people, too. Founded in 2020 by Sam Boadu and brothers Emmanuel and Josef Danso, the collective exists to create future leaders through football whilst giving young ballers the best tools to equip them in their pursuit of being a professional.

In February, VERSUS linked up with the academy to support a showcase tournament for young ballers in Ghana. The inaugural showcase saw six teams compete with European scouts in attendance.

While we witnessed a successful tournament and a showcase of top tier ability on-pitch, there was more to this occasion. Some of the participants had never been to the capital of Accra before the event. Not only did the players have an opportunity like no other, it was a moment to reflect on the journey they have been on with VIM SC since joining.

Richard and Fairhen are just two ballers from the academy. Aged 15 and 17, they represent the heart of what VIM is and their experiences showcase how each one of the ballers in the academy is feeling. Speaking on what football means to them. Both expressed how they have dreams to be pro, yet VIM has granted them opportunities beyond what they could have believed:

“They have provided me with a platform that I just need to focus on school and education. Elsewhere, I would have had to focus on how to get my books and clothes but those things are not worries."

“I’m surprised yet grateful to everyone who put the tournament together. It was always a dream of mine that one day I would play in a tournament where scouts would be watching me. This is my first tournament of this magnitude and I am just excited to have this platform”.

The importance of education to young players can’t be understated. A lot of the boys at the academy were not in the school system prior to joining VIM SC but they’ve now been granted access to some of the best schools around.

Josef, the middle Danso brother who was in a similar situation as a young player, knows all too well about the importance of education. “The reality is that in a cohort of young boys, not everyone will make it. I myself have that same story. I had the opportunity to go to uni to meet loads of different people and I want the boys to have that same ability.”

Across the three days of their first showcase tournament, VIM picked up the trophy but many of the young players were the real winners, impressing a host of European scouts including Manuel Ortlechner, Director of Sports at FK Austria Wien. Scouts coming to this continent is not a new thing. The search for the next star will take you all over the world but this current interest in Africa – especially given the recent AFCON tournament and players like Salah, Mane and Mahrez being among the best players in the world – is a real cause for excitement.

“Africa always had a special impact on me – you can feel the energy at any corner. The young talents here are talented and willing."

In Austria for example, one of the biggest challenges is the fact of creating “hunger in paradise” because they have everything you can think of. Here in Africa things are quite different.”

That difference in hunger and culture is something that VIM SC exists to champion. Coaches at VIM know that if their boys can get half of the opportunities that their counterparts in other countries get, they would take them with both hands. It doesn’t just end here, though. Within African culture, the notion of giving back is so strong. VIM SC are doing this to these young balers, knowing the fruits of their labour will not only benefit them, but benefit their families.

It’s something that the Danso brothers are passionate about. All have had experiences with football but their youngest brother Kevin is now an international player for Austria and a key component in a young RC Lens side in Ligue 1. Despite aiming for the top in his career, Kevin has frequently provided kits and other provisions for the boys trying to emulate the journey he has had in football.

Speaking on the notion of giving back, the oldest Danso brother, Emmanuel said: “We are called Vision in Motion for a reason. We have a big vision for the whole footballing opportunity in Ghana and Africa. We don’t believe it is right for us to go abroad for opportunities when the boys are on the ground here. That is why our goal is to be the Milk Cup or Gothia Cup of Africa. Our responsibility is to the young boys. We can not let them down. That is what has pushed us.”

"Our dream is to have a foreign teams join us. We want the showcase to be that place where teams come to find the next generation of African talent."

The essence of not letting the next generation down has led to the foundation of something wonderful. The first showcase was a success with the next one already in planning. Bigger and better. Within Africa, football academies come and go but VIM SC’s purpose and drive is different. Sam Boadu said it perfectly. “We will be here to stay. If you don’t come with us, you will fall by the wayside. We know where we are going”.

The beautiful game is one that can take many from rags to riches and can be the ticket to seeing the world but most importantly, as a global language, the game is a way of teaching invaluable lessons and is a force for good.

In West Africa, “Vim” means to do something with energy. The hopes and ambitions is that VIM SC grows with vim and the boys achieve their dreams with vim, too.

Keep up with Vision In Motion Sporting Club as they continue to develop the next gen by checking out their Instagram