With ambitions to connect young talents with professional clubs and international scouts, Génie 2000 football academy hopes to become a reference point for football development in Côte d’Ivoire and beyond.
Oliver Ochieng, Marabou News Agency
Football is more than just a game in Côte d’Ivoire. For many young people, football represents hope, ambition and a chance to build a better future, with the likes of Manchester United’s Amad Diallo and Real Madrid’s Yan Diomande serving as reference points for budding footballers.
In Abidjan, the Génie 2000 Football Academy is working to turn that ambition into reality by combining professional football training with discipline and education.
Founded in February 2026 by former Ivorian footballer Seria Ryan Joseph, Génie 2000 aims to nurture the next generation of football talent. Drawing on his experience in Morocco, where he developed his coaching skills, Joseph said he hopes to introduce a structured approach to training and help young players reach professional levels.
The academy welcomes boys aged 15 to 19, focusing not only on technical ability and tactical awareness, but also on discipline and academic achievement.
“Génie 2000 is a state of mind because we already have a strong, positive mentality here. The community has inspired us to adopt the name Génie 2000 because our goal is to bring out football geniuses and nurture exceptional talent in the sport,” Joseph said in French.
“My experience in Morocco was really good because I met legends such as Mustapha Aji, Youssef Aji and Benazia. Through that experience, I became a professional footballer in Morocco. It also gave me the opportunity to train as a coach. With all the knowledge I had acquired, I asked myself: ‘Why not come to Côte d’Ivoire and establish an academy, an association and a club called Génie 2000 Football Club?’”
His greatest wish, he said, is to see players compete in the Ivorian league and gain international recognition, with players such as Didier Drogba and other prominent football figures from the West African country having set the pace.
“That is why I am focused on providing young people with quality training, equipping them with knowledge, developing their football skills and educating them. I also encourage them to go to school because, without education, there is no football. Football in Côte d’Ivoire presents a great opportunity because we are one of Africa’s major footballing nations. We have already won the Africa Cup of Nations three times, and we have great legends here in Côte d’Ivoire who are passing on their knowledge and experience.”
15-year-old Adriano Asunkuran is one of the players at the academy. He wants to become the best footballer in Africa, following in the footsteps of Ivorian greats Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure. He said his grandfather’s dream of becoming a professional footballer was cut short by a knee injury.
“My grandfather had a problem in his knee and he tells me that I have the power to do it – to become a professional footballer. And I trust him, and I want to become a professional footballer in Africa or the whole world.”
With ambitions to connect young talents with professional clubs and international scouts, Génie 2000 hopes to become a reference point for football development in Côte d’Ivoire and beyond.
For the young players, the journey starts on the training ground, but the dream reaches far beyond it: to become professionals and, one day, wear the orange, white and green of the Ivorian national team.
Marabou News Agency
Editor: George Mutero
