By Taibat Ummi Yakubu 

Hundreds of young footballers in Katsina State have been given a rare opportunity to showcase their talents before international scouts seeking players for professional football careers in Europe.

The opportunity came during the four-day second edition of the Gov. Dikko Radda Football Scouting Tournament, held at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium in Katsina.

The tournament, organised by the Katsina Football Academy in collaboration with Belarusian football club FC Torpedo BelAZ Zhodino, attracted aspiring footballers from across the state competing for a chance to secure professional contracts abroad.

Speaking at the end of the tournament, the Coordinator and Director of Katsina Football Academy, Shamsuddeen Ibrahim-Makudawa, expressed satisfaction with the quality of talent displayed by the participants.

He said the initiative was designed to identify, nurture and develop promising footballers while creating pathways for them to pursue professional careers on the international stage.

Ibrahim-Makudawa commended Gov. Dikko Radda, coaches, technical officials and sports enthusiasts for their support towards youth empowerment and sports development in Katsina State.

A member of the scouting team, Vladimir Bogdanou, said the delegation travelled to Katsina specifically to identify talented players capable of joining FC Torpedo BelAZ Zhodino in Belarus.

Also speaking, Katsina-born professional footballer based in Belarus, Hamza Hadi Mai-Dawa, said he facilitated the scouts’ visit with the support of the Katsina State Government.

Mai-Dawa praised the discipline, commitment and impressive performances exhibited by the players throughout the tournament.

According to him, between 15 and 17 players have been shortlisted for further assessment, with only the most outstanding candidates expected to secure opportunities to pursue professional football careers abroad.

He added that the scouting tournament had rekindled hopes among many young footballers in Katsina, providing them with a platform to pursue their dreams of playing football at the international level.