La Liga side Real Betis set up first sub-Saharan Africa base in Zimbabwe

112 years of Spanish La Liga side Real Betis heritage has come to Zimbabwe with the launch of an academy in the African country.

The club announced the news via its website:

The Club has reached an agreement with the sports agency ASM for developing the first Betis Academy in Africa.
China, Morocco, United States, Mexico. And now, Zimbabwe. Real Betis and the Club’s Foundation, reached an agreement with the Zimbabwean agency Athletes Sphere Management (ASM) to launch a series of sports projects in the African country within the Club’s strategic plan looking to extend its brand and methodology throughout the world, while educating and transmitting the institution’s values through football.
As an initial step, Real Betis and the Real Betis Foundation will start operating from October, together with ASM, the first Betis Academy on the African continent, specifically in Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital city, with the aim of developing grassroots football on the region by implementing the Club’s methodology, as long as the evolution of the pandemic allows it.

Of course this is their second in Africa after Morocco. But is their first in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Ramón Alarcón, Real Betis’ General Director of Business said:

Real Betis is one of the most historical football clubs in Spain and, without a doubt, one of the most beloved ones. Not only because of that historical character, but also because of its idiosyncrasy and values, its unshakable faith, its ability to excel and the joy of its people. And those values are precisely what we try to transfer in all our international projects: educating from football, transmitting all the values that surround the Betis brand and doing it with the same methodology that we use within our youth teams

Gerald Sibanda, President and CEO of ASM, commented the agreement:

I am extremely happy for this global partnership, bringing world class community opportunities to Zimbabwe. From ASM, we are looking forward to help growing Real Betis Balompie’s brand in the region and seeing great football projects being birthed through this partnership. It is with great honour and I am so pleased to lead the new Betis Academy Zimbabwe. My blood is now green and white.

LaLiga Managing Director for Southern Africa Marcos Pelegín:

We are really excited for Real Betis and for the young Zimbabwean football players that will enroll in this program. Seeing how one of our Spanish clubs enlarge their presence in Africa is great news for everyone. We are looking forward to collaborating with the Academy in future projects”.

The scope, length and other intricate details of the agreement were not made availabale.