Right to Dream

What does it take to go from a young boy with a dream to a Premier League player & Africa Cup of Nations Champion? 🏆 Simon Adingra's story provides some answers. From the streets of Abobo in Ivory Coast to Right to Dream in Ghana, then FC Nordsjaelland in Denmark, and now Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club in the The Premier League, Simon Adingra’s journey offers valuable insights for aspiring talents & organizations in the talent development space. It reminds us that potential exists everywhere. That our role goes beyond identifying talent & developing technical skills. 🧠⚽️ And that it’s our responsibility to provide a nurturing environment for that potential to flourish. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀: • 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗞𝗲𝘆 💪: Setbacks are inevitable. Simon Adingra faced numerous challenges, including personal loss & obstacles on the field. Yet, he persevered, showing the importance of mental toughness for pro athletes. “Sometimes I've difficulties, but I always remember that I’ve lived more than that, so mentally I’m ready.” – Simon Adingra. • 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲, 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝘁🌍: What if the next football prodigy is playing on a dirt pitch right now? Providing access to quality coaching, education, and resources is crucial for unlocking potential. “We offered them a platform but first & foremost we got to credit who they're as people and their willingness to do it. They give us courage to fight the battles we’re obligated to fight on their talents’ behalf.”- Jeremy Seethal, Head of Global Scouting. • 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 🤝: From scouts to teachers to coaches to teammates, Adingra's success underscores the impact of a supportive environment & dedicated community for talent development. “Right to Dream came into my life as a blessing. My life had become too complicated. All I knew was to play football.” – Simon Adingra. • 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 📚: Adingra’s commitment to education & his strong character on & off the pitch shows that a well-rounded approach is a key to talent development. “My father gave me advice, it’s good to play football, but it’s important to go to school as well.”- Simon Adingra. • 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 ✨: Stories like Simon’s are a source of inspiration for their communities. They demonstrate the ripple effect one individual's success can have. “I’m here because of Simon Adingra…And now, I dream a little bigger.” – Young talents from Abobo. Watch “𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆” and let us continue the conversation! 👇 https://lnkd.in/dUGxUSw5 What aspects of Simon's journey resonate most with your experiences in talent development? And what lessons can we all take away from his story to create even more impactful development experiences for young talents? #TalentDevelopment #FootballAcademy #NextGenTalent

𝗙𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲: Purpose Entrepreneurship Program Enters Next Phase At Right to Dream, we believe the football industry can, and should, be a catalyst for growth, inspiration, and positive change. That's why we're thrilled to launch the second round of our Purpose Entrepreneurship program in collaboration with the Mansour Group & Common Goal. 🌱 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘁? It’s our way of empowering individuals within our community to make a real difference. We equip them with resources, mentorship, and support to turn their purpose-driven ideas into reality, addressing the specific needs of their communities.💡 The program fosters a culture of innovation and social responsibility within the football world. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗣𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲: 𝗔 𝗚𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗽𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 The recently concluded first round saw five projects tackle pressing social challenges across the globe. 🌍 𝗟𝘆𝗰𝗼-𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗺: Empowering young farmers 🇬🇭 ParaPlay: Serving differently abled emerging excellence 🇬🇧 NAFAS Sports: Rehabilitating marginalized youth through sport 🇪🇬 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗗𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀: Empowering youth through street sports & urban culture 🇩🇰 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗿𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁: Breaking barriers for girls & women through football 🇦🇺 🎙️Khalida Popal, Purpose Entrepreneurship Program Manager, reflects: “The pilot phase has truly exemplified the transformative power of purpose-driven initiatives. We've witnessed remarkable projects come to life, addressing critical social challenges and creating lasting impacts in communities around the world.” 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁? In round two, we’re diving deeper into our communities. 🏘️ While maintaining the core vision of the program, we’ll adopt a community-centric approach that encourages greater engagement & ownership from within our community. Our clubs & academies pinpoint challenges in their communities ➡️ Our staff step up with solutions ➡️ Together, we harness the collective power of our community to build a brighter future 🤝 Stay tuned for updates on this next chapter! #footballfordevelopment #sportforgood #footballimpact

The new Premier League season is here. And it’s a particularly special one for the Right to Dream community. 𝗙𝗜𝗩𝗘 of our academy graduates will be competing in the strongest league in the world The Premier League ⚽️🌍 - Kamaldeen Sulemana (Southampton FC) - Mathias Jensen (Brentford FC) - Mikkel Damsgaard (Brentford FC) - Mohammed Kudus (West Ham United) - Simon Adingra (Brighton & Hove Albion) This isn’t just a statistic. These five exceptional individuals are a testament to the potential that exists within young people around the world. And their journeys prove that with the right tools and support, extraordinary achievements are possible. 👏 It also raises the question: What does it 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺 take to develop world-class talent? We believe their journeys highlight some key principles including: 𝗡𝘂𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁: Recognizing raw potential from a young age and providing the right environment, guidance, and support needed to thrive. 🌱 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Adopting a well-rounded approach that fosters not just technical skills, but also character, leadership, and academic excellence. 🧠 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆: Ensuring access to high-quality resources and professional experiences for young people to realize their dreams, understanding that talent exists everywhere, but access to opportunities is not always equal. 🔑 We’d love to hear your perspective. What do you think are the key factors to developing world-class talent? How can we create environments where young people can thrive, both on and off the field? Share your thoughts in the comments below! 👇 #TalentDevelopment #FootballAcademy #NextGenTalent

"The football industry is comfortable with attrition... We’re uncomfortable with the concept of attrition, as it means we have not fulfilled our duty to that kid." - Ian Yates, Head of Talent and Pathways. Dive deeper into our model and philosophy in this article, showcasing how we're building a global network of opportunity—from Ghana to Denmark, Egypt, and soon the U.S.—through football, character development, and education, creating pathways for young talent to thrive. #TalentDevelopment #FootballAcademy #NextGenTalent https://lnkd.in/d5jZt55D

𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐞 🤝 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦'𝐬 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧: Introducing Ben Garner, Our New International Academy Head Coach Ben Garner is now the head coach of our International Academy (IA) – a unique program, that brings together top talent from our academies, bridging the gap to professional football. It’s where grads like Ernest Nuamah and Simon Adingra honed their skills before hitting the world stage. 🏆Proven Track Record: Ben brings a wealth of experience from coaching at clubs like Crystal Palace, West Brom, and more. He also served as a long-term mentor in the Premier League's coach development program. 🚀Building on Legacy: Ben is ready to build on the incredible work of Djimi Traoré, who championed the importance of holistic development and helped shape the careers of many student-athletes who went on to play for FC Nordsjaelland and other professional clubs. 🤝Shared Vision: Ben isn't just about winning – he believes that winning is a result of the right processes, not the sole focus. He's all about building character, empowering young players, and creating a holistic environment for growth on and off the pitch. That’s the Right to Dream way! “If you create the right environment, recruit young players with potential, and combine this with high quality coaching, then you will produce not only good footballers but also good people.” – Ben Garner. 🌍 A Global Experience: Ben and our IA staff have already crafted a dynamic schedule packed with international matches in Europe, Africa, and Asia. This unique experience exposes players to diverse cultures and playing styles, preparing them for the demands of pro football and life beyond. 🗣️Flemming Pedersen, Right to Dream Group Technical Director: “Ben is a very experienced football coach with experience in developing players from academy into Premier League. Just what our IA players need.” #TalentDevelopment #FootballAcademy #NextGenTalent

Education is key to our student-athletes' journeys at Right to Dream.📚 We're proud to welcome our newest class in Egypt and are committed to continue empowering them through athletic development along with world-class education, with the support of Right to Dream Egypt's academy education partner, Egypt Education Platform.

Euro ✅ Copa América ✅ Now, it’s time for the next generation 🔜 While some of the world’s best battled it out, our Right to Dream U16s were preparing for their debut journey at Gothia Cup 🇸🇪– the world's largest and most international youth football tournament. And today, they step onto the same pitches that helped launch the careers of talents like Ernest Nuamah and Simon Adingra, ready to forge their own path. ✨ 🏆 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘀: Sure, we've been crowned Gothia Cup champions seven times. But this is about more than winning. We prioritize growth and empowerment. And Gothia offers a chance for these young talents to push their limits, embrace new experiences, and become the best versions of themselves. 💪 🧠 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁 - 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿: As our coach, Benjamin Ajslev, puts it: "There are high expectations, but for me, it will always be about development. A growth mindset allows them to go into that state of being willing to learn.” 🌱 🤝 𝗦𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗱 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀: This tournament isn't just about individual brilliance – it's about the power of the collective. It's a moment where our global community – players, coaches, staff, and fans from Ghana to Denmark to Egypt to the US and beyond – come together to support the next gen. A chance to forge unbreakable bonds and connect with the wider community. 🌟 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹: These young student-athletes are the next generation of talent. They are the future. And we can't wait to see them continue to unlock their full potential.

Right to Dream Egypt's First-Ever Graduating Class! 🚀 Empowering young talents to reach their full potential and chart their own paths is at the heart of what we do. ❤️ And the graduation of our first-ever class of student-athletes from the Egypt Academy is a milestone that echoes this commitment. 🎓🇪🇬 These four graduates - each with unique aspirations - reflect the diversity of the talent we nurture. 📚 Khalaf & Mazen are off to top US 🇺🇸 schools, blending academics with their passion for football. ⚽️Marwan & Nasser are ready to take their game to the next level at our International Academy. It's a moment that reflects the impact that opportunity and a shared commitment to excellence can have on young lives. But the impact doesn’t stop here. It ripples through communities, inspiring the next generation to dream big. ✨ Just like Right to Dream alumni Simon Adingra, who went from our International Academy to Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club, or Ousseni Bouda balancing pro football with a Stanford University degree, or Joy Okonye crushing it on & off the field at Brown University.👏 As Mohammed Wasfy, CEO of Right to Dream Egypt, puts it: “Right to Dream is transforming Egypt's football landscape. We’re confident these graduates will travel, learn, and achieve great things and return to support and give back to their communities and country, and that's the true heart of our mission." 🎙️ We're proud to be part of their journey, but we're even more excited about the future we're building together. 🌟

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗚𝗲𝗻 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: Our 2023/24 Season Recap ⏪ From domestic doubles to academy breakthroughs, this season has been one for the books for the Right to Dream community. 💪 A particular highlight: 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻’𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀. 🌟 From Denmark 🇩🇰 to Egypt 🇪🇬, FC Nordsjaelland and TUT FC women’s teams secured the domestic doubles, lifting league & cup titles in both countries! 🏆🏆 Now, they’re set for the Women's Champions League qualifiers in Europe and Africa. 🌍 But it’s more than trophies. 🏅 It’s a testament to our talent development model. 📈 A model that empowers the next generation to reach their full potential.✨ A model that's building a sustainable future for women's football from the ground up.🌱 And our young academy girls are proof the future is even brighter.  👧✨ FCN Girls Academy won titles at every level, while young talents in Ghana & Egypt academies showcased the immense potential & depth of talent we're continuously nurturing. ⚽ As our Chairman, Sir Mohamed Mansour, puts it, “We are particularly proud of the strides we've made in women's football demonstrating the profound impact of investing in young female talent and providing the resources and opportunities necessary for them to thrive.” 🎙️ Our men’s squads are also leveling up!🔝 With academy talent shining at FCN & TUT FC securing promotion to Egypt’s Second Division (B), they’re setting new standards for excellence. 📈 And we’re not stopping here. With San Diego FC starting their journey in the Major League Soccer next year, we’re excited to be extending our reach and impact, creating even more opportunities for the next generation of talent to pursue their dreams on the world stage. 🌍⚽ 🇬🇭🇩🇰🇪🇬🇺🇸

FC Nordsjaelland Women Are Domestic Double Champs! 🏆🏆 First-ever league title? ✅ UEFA Women’s Champions League Qualification? ✅ Now, the Danish Cup? ✅ But this isn't just about winning. It's about 𝐇𝐎𝐖 we win. It’s academy grads Emilia Asgeirsdottir (19) & Alma Aagaard (18) scoring both goals in the cup final. ⚽ It’s 50% of this championship squad being developed from our own academy talent. This win is proof that our philosophy 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴. 👌 A testament that investing in women’s football & young female talent 𝘱𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘰𝘧𝘧. That's why we’re committed to building a global network of empowered female talent. From girls' academies in Ghana, Egypt & Denmark, to pro teams in Denmark & Egypt and programs like Coaching Queens, we're proving that when you create opportunities for women in football, the possibilities are endless. The future of women's football is bright, and at Right to Dream, we’re proud to be part of this exciting journey. 🌟