Images via Mainz 05 Aristide Bancé has linked up with his former club Mainz 05 to secure an official partnership with his academy side based in the Ivory Coast.The former striker brought 20 of his academy players to Mainz to play and train with the Bundesliga club’s youth teams as part of a partnership that will see Mainz supply kits, boots and training facilities to the Ivorian team.Moving forward, the youngsters from the academy are set to attend a local school in the Ivory Coast to give them further opportunities in vocational training. Bancé began recruiting talented young footballers in Jacqueville, about 20 miles from Ivory Coast’s largest city, a few months before the partnership with the aim of helping them pursue their dreams. Now their dreams are one step closer to becoming reality. Speaking on the partnership, Bancé said: “Without the academy, the children would perhaps live on the streets. So it’s about young people who on the one hand have talent, but on the other hand also need help off the pitch. Happy to see the joy on the faces of these children who accompany me because of their merit. It is only by following the youngest that we will succeed in ensuring the succession of African football.”Football is absolutely massive in Africa. But the passion the continent has for the sport far outweighs the pathways available to youngsters looking to become their countries’ next hero. We salute Bancé for walking the walk and trying to bridge that gap for the next generation.