Written by: Ayman Ragab
It is not African talent that is the problem, but the value chain. The continent develops players with very limited resources, but the value is created and exploited elsewhere. When a player leaves, often for less than 200,000 euros, and sometimes for free, the club that trained him gets almost nothing when he leaves and depends entirely on hypothetical percentages of his future resale, years later, and even then, it must have secured those rights.
The result: 97% of the value of African players in the World Cup squad, amounting to 2.4 billion euros, is outside Africa. We train them, but we don't build capital. The paradox is not about the sport, but about the structure.
Is migration to Europe considered a brain drain?
This isn't just an ordinary flight; it's a pointless migration. In today's globalized business world, moving to Europe is commonplace, even desirable. The problem isn't their migration itself, but the price they pay.
Selling a player valued at €30 million for €150,000 represents a fortune amassed in Africa and then transferred elsewhere. Therefore, the goal isn't to keep everything, but to sell him later for a better price, securing his value through buy-back clauses, solidarity mechanisms, and ensuring he spends more time in his home country before leaving.
Why some African academies are less successful than others in creating value
Successful academies do more than just train players; they cultivate well-rounded individuals and establish a value chain. Among the leading academies exporting talent to Europe are Génération Foot, Diambars, the Mohammed VI Academy, Right to Dream, Paradou, and GMG. Génération Foot and Diambars alone contribute approximately 301 TP3T to the Senegalese national team's value.
Their success rests on three fundamental pillars. First, the management and staff behind these structures: a clear vision, meticulous attention to detail, and long-term sustainability. Second, strategic partnerships with major European clubs, which open up a clear market and ensure a successful business model. And finally, and undoubtedly the most underrated factor, education: a boarding school, academic support, nutritional guidance, and personal development.
These structures don't just produce football players; they produce well-rounded individuals. And that's precisely what ultimately makes the difference, both on the pitch and in a player's ability to adapt, thrive, and increase their value.
The lesson is simple: training alone is not enough. A human, educational, and economic system is needed to transform talent into sustainable value.
A competitive advantage for national teams
The African diaspora has become the largest training ground for African football, a valuable asset provided it is utilized effectively. Sixty-four African players who participated in the World Cup – nearly a quarter of all African players – received their training in France, a number exceeding that of any other African nation.
This is not a loss for local systems, as most of them are dual nationals who were trained in French academies and were identified, supported, and integrated by African national teams. Morocco has turned this into a real strategic asset.
It's also a golden opportunity for European youth academies. A player who would never have been selected for the French national team can become an African international, participate in the Africa Cup of Nations or the World Cup, and see his market value soar. FIFA even offers compensation to clubs that release their players for the World Cup.
Therefore, having expatriate players is not a zero-sum game. It adds value to the player, the African national team, and the training club. The real challenge lies in not relying on them exclusively, while simultaneously developing local training programs.
Why is a player who plays outside of Africa significantly more expensive on average than a player who has stayed on the continent?
The difference lies not in talent, but in market value. The same player, in a prestigious league, is closely monitored by scouts and has a proven track record, and is therefore of higher technical value.
While skill level is undoubtedly an important factor, market value depends heavily on a comprehensive system that includes media exposure, reach, data, and standardized competitions. Making African leagues more visible and documented will directly increase the value of the players who still compete in them.
The value is not limited to the space alone, but also relates to the storefront.
FIFA solidarity mechanisms
The two problems coexist: their application in Africa is inadequate, and the standards themselves deserve to be reconsidered.
The training compensation and solidarity contribution, which represent 5% of each international transfer fee allocated to training clubs, are theoretically sound tools. However, their traceability remains inadequate, and the amounts remain small when the initial transfer fee is low.
FIFA's clearing system is a step in the right direction by automating these processes. However, several aspects warrant further investigation: increased transfer fees, a percentage paid throughout a player's career, academy rankings, or even a contribution from the coaching club towards subsequent transfers.
But none of this can be achieved without reliable data on player development from a young age. The challenge lies in both the organizational and operational aspects: documentation, tracking, claims, and reassessment.
What needs to change in the talent discovery process?
African football must stop choosing the most mature bodies to select the best players.
Players born at the end of the year are less likely to be selected at the age of 17 due to their slower physical development, but they often become the most valuable in adulthood. Therefore, current scouting practices overlook some of the best future talents.
What needs to change is the creation of a database of players starting from the age of 14 or 15, with a documented record of their performance and progress. We need to assess their potential and trajectory, not just their current physical appearance.
Can the ten African countries participating in the 2026 World Cup transform the African football economy?
Ten qualified players represent a global showcase. But a showcase only becomes a valuable asset if it transforms into something of value.
FIFA pays participation fees to each eligible country, in addition to substantial prize money. African clubs also receive compensation for releasing their players. As for players still playing in Africa, their market value will automatically increase due to the global recognition they gain.
But the World Cup goes far beyond football. It is also an economic and diplomatic platform, a space where partnerships are forged, new sponsors arrive, and new investors emerge.
But nothing changes automatically. To turn this wealth into wealth, clubs need to professionalize, strengthen governance, improve the valuation of transfers, and attract sponsors to Africa's young generation, which is among the most connected in the world.
Without that, we would have celebrated an achievement without building an economy.
Data issue
In the 21st century, you can't appreciate the value of what you can't measure. Data determines everything else. Without documented player records, there are no claims for training compensation, no fair evaluations, no protection of integrity, and no balanced negotiations with European clubs.
Africa has relied for far too long on databases designed elsewhere. The continent must build its own databases, especially since artificial intelligence tools make this a feat within reach for any union. (Source: Le360).
