![Real Betis Academy players [In green and White] in action](https://b3043111.smushcdn.com/3043111/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Real-Betis-Academy-players-in-action-780x470.jpg?lossy=1&strip=1&webp=1)
Zimbabwe’s Real Betis Academy Under 21s are set to take on Mamelodi Sundowns, SuperSport United, and Jomo Cosmos Under 21s in a weeklong tour of South Africa.
Real Betis Academy chairman Gerald Sibanda revealed the tour plans. According to Sibanda, they will stay in the country from 3 to 10 December.
Furthermore, Sibanda said the aim is to create synergies with top-performing clubs in South Africa.
And they have preferred playing PSL sides Mamelodi Sundowns FC, SuperSport United FC, and Jomo Cosmos Under 21s.
REAL BETIS ACADEMY CHAIRMAN REVEALS THEIR PLANS
“We are very delighted to participate and expose our outstanding Academy First Team players against some of South Africa’s best youth teams,” said Sibanda.
“And as we continue to grow and develop Zimbabwean talent, it is important to build synergies with competitive Professional clubs within our region.
“We are very excited to showcase our talent and build long-lasting relations with top Professional clubs in South Africa,” he said
In Zimbabwe, Real Betis Academy is operating with two branches in the two major cities, Harare and Bulawayo.
Former Zimbabwe footballers have been entrusted with the coaching jobs at the academy.
Moreover, they are hoping to tap more knowledge from the South African football landscape, where junior football has been thriving.
This is seen by the number of DStv Diski Challenge players who have graduated from the PSL in recent times.
These include Mamelodi Sundowns’ Siyabonga Mabena, Kaizer Chiefs Mduduzi Shabalala, and Orlando Pirates’ Relebohile Mofokeng among others.
Meanwhile, this will be Real Betis Academy’s second major tour. They toured Spain last year where they interacted with the Real Betis senior team.
In addition, the Real Betis Academy is the Spanish club’s first football school on the African continent.
Lastly, the academy was launched in 2020, with high hopes of turning a corner in Zimbabwe’s defunct junior football structures.
RELATED STORY: Zimbabwe’s Real Betis Academy targeting PSL clubs
