Swedish-Ghanaian player inaugurates "Soccer Connect"

Christian Kpobi, a Swedish defender of Ghanaian origin, has launched a youth development football programme in Accra dubbed "Soccer Connect".

The project is designed to formalise juvenile soccer and integrate association football into Ghanaian basic school systems and thereby widen the opportunities for schoolchildren to participate in the soccer industry in Ghana and beyond.

Kpobi, who previously played in South Africa, Thailand and other clubs in Sweden, including Kramfors Alliansin, emphasised that the main aim of his project is to rebrand colts football through the schools and also offer quality young talents the opportunity to play overseas.

"The purpose of this project is to help reintroduce the popular league system called colts soccer through the basics schools in Ghana.

“This, we believe, will create a new generation of soccer players who are educated and developed through a structured system of football. To achieve this purpose we have to understand the role of football as a tool for participation and social inclusion," Kpobi told Graphic Sports.

"We will go to almost all the basic schools in every district or municipality in Ghana for the exercise and it will be played like a zonal league after which we will choose a dream team from every zone.

“They will come to Accra for the final exercise after which we will choose the best ones and send them to Sweden and other places. Some will be on Academic Scholarship as they combine education with football," he explained further.

Kpobi said the first phase of the competition would begin in the Volta Region when the Coronavirus pandemic is over.

"We will start the exercise in the North Dayi District when the Coronavirus pandemic is over. Plans are well advanced for it to start and everything is in order," he added.

The Ghanaian-born Swedish defender is currently working on his FIFA Player Intermediary licence.