an Italian recruiter detects 4 young Guyanese talents
From January 3 to 5, 2025, the Oriane-Jean-François stadium in Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni welcomed more than 100 young Guyanese footballers from the West. Under the eye of Antonio Papa, an Italian recruiter, these players tried to stand out to join prestigious clubs like Juventus, Genoa or Lazio in Serie A and Serie B.
For three days, the Oriane-Jean-François stadium was the setting for sustained efforts and rigorous evaluations. Young footballers aged 11 to 17, from Mana, Apatou, Sinnamary, Kourou and Saint-Laurent, took part in phases of play under the watchful eye of their coaches and Anthonio Papa, an Italian recruiter representing Juventus in particular. , Genoa and Lazio.
“This is a first for our region,” underlined Hector Portos, educator and coach of RC Maroni.
We knew that our young people had potential, but this is the first time that such an event has given them a real chance to get noticed by a European club.
Between technical exercises and evaluation matches, the young people showed total discipline and commitment.
The idea was to show that our young footballers have qualities that deserve to be recognized. These detection days are an opening towards Europe, and in particular towards Serie A.
Claudio, 16, from Mana, did not hide his enthusiasm:“It was intense, but I gave everything I had. Playing in Europe is a dream, and I know this chance is rare.”
Gillian, 15, from Saint-Laurent, shares this hope:
It was impressive to know that we were being evaluated. I did my best, following the coaches' instructions. My dream? Playing for a big club like Juventus.
At the end of the evaluation, completed on Sunday January 5, four players were detected for their potential. These young people could soon participate in internships in Italy, with a real possibility of joining Serie A or Serie B clubs.
Anthonio Papa, the Italian recruiter, praised the level of the participants:
These young people show interesting physical and technical qualities. These four players have the potential to perform at a high level, and we will follow their progress closely.
For Guyana, this first collaboration with an Italian recruiter marks an important step. Local football, often limited by its geographical isolation, finds here an opportunity to open up. For these young talents, this detection is much more than a simple test: it is a gateway to a professional career.
