Pepsi Academy Holds 20th Anniversary Tourney

Pepsi Football Academy, PFA U-17 International Tournament to mark the 20th anniversary of the premier football mill kicks off today in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria.

St Bede’s College of United Kingdom will trade tackles with three other selected teams in the two day championship which hold at the astro turf of the MKO Abiola Stadium Abeokuta. The teams include Pepsi Football Academy, River Lane Football Academy, Enugu and Oyo State Academicals who won the NASCOM football completion last month.

Organisers of the event said Nigeria’s U-17 team, the Golden Eaglets, were invited for the championship but could not make it because of administrative reasons.

Mr. Iain Nelson, Consultant to Pepsi Football Academy said at a news conference in Lagos on Thursday that the past 20 years has been remarkable for the academy as it has “made a real and significant difference to thousands of youngsters through our training centres across Nigeria.”

He said Pepsi Academy has an elite list of former young players in the Academy who are currently plying their trade in big leagues in Europe and Africa. They include Mikel Obi, Osaze Odemwingie, Elderson Echejile, Onyekachi Akpam, Ejike Uzoenyi just to mention a few.

Head of Football Department at St. Bede’s College, David Legget said they were delighted to be associated with Pepsi as three youngsters from the Academy have been at the college to play and study.

“These students have been very good ambassadors of Pepsi Football Academy and Nigeria with excellent football skills and good behavior.”

Tosin Michael and Larry Egunjobi both from Pepsi Football Academy are now playing professional football at Portugal and Spain respectively after their two-year stint at St Bede’s, while Rilwanu Olugbode is currently at the college.

This international tournament according to Nelson will be used to select the next beneficiary of the Pepsi St. Bede’s College two-year scholarship for 2012/2013 academic session.