LALIGA Country Manager for Nigeria and Ghana Desmond Chiji has called for education to become an integral part of grassroots football development in Nigeria, warning that young players must be prepared for life even if their dreams of becoming professional footballers do not materialise.
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Speaking on Inside Naija, Chiji said developing talented youngsters should go beyond identifying the next generation of football stars, with education and other skills providing an important safety net.
“We don’t want the players only to know how to play football. What if they don’t make it as football players? What do they fall back on?” Chiji asked.
His comments reflect the approach adopted by LALIGA’s youth programmes, which combine football development with educational experiences and personal development.
The 2026 LALIGA and EA SPORTS Next Gen Draft in Lagos brought together 168 young Nigerian players, with four boys and four girls eventually selected for an international experience in Spain.
The programme was designed not only to assess technical ability but also qualities such as teamwork, discipline, commitment, and personal growth, while exposing participants to structured coaching and educational activities.
Chiji also revealed that LALIGA remains open to reviving its previous grassroots partnership with the Nigeria Premier Football League.
The former LALIGA-NPFL agreement included an Under-15 development project and coaching programmes before the Memorandum of Understanding expired without renewal.
“We are always open to coming back to the table to see how we can bring it back to life,” Chiji said.
But whether through the NPFL or other Nigerian partners, Chiji believes the objective must extend beyond discovering football talent.
For LALIGA, the ideal pathway is one where a youngster can chase the dream of becoming a professional footballer without sacrificing the education needed to build a future if that dream does not happen.
