Former AC Milan attacking midfielder Honda to launch talent search programme

Football Soccer - Genoa v AC Milan - Luigi Ferraris stadium, Genoa, Italy - 25/10/16. AC Milan's Keisuke Honda in action against Diego Laxalt of Genoa. REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo

Keisuke Honda, a Japanese professional footballer formerly with AC Milan, will launch a free football education programme in Nairobi on January 27 in search of the next Victor Wanyama.

Under the project name ‘Africa Dream Soccer Tour’ and supported by Japanese automobile dealers Car-Tana.com, Honda’s organisation will target underprivileged children in Kenya to offer them free football education.

A similar programme is running in Uganda and Rwanda.

Speaking ahead of the launch, Honda Estilo Ltd’s Africa regional director, Motoki Futamura, said: “The emergence of Tottenham’s Victor (Wanyama) and Girona’s Olunga (Michael) shows there is talent in Kenya.

“Honda is keen to discover another Wanyama. We will begin by targeting children in the Kibera slum. At first, we will have partnership with Magoso School in Kibera and then spread out,” Futamura said.

He added: “This programme is for the future of children in Africa because Honda believes in the power of helping disadvantaged but talented kids.

“Having launched in Uganda and Rwanda, we are set to kick off the programme in Kenya on January 27.”

For a start, Honda Estilo Ltd will second two Japanese professional coaches (Shuzo Sakamoto and Daichi Motomatsu) to provide free football education to 100 children every month.

Identified talent will be facilitated to attend further training at Ligi Ndogo Academy with the support of Car-Tana.com and Sato, a company that provides sanitation solutions for low-income consumers in areas without access to water and sewerage infrastructure.

Honda, an attacking midfielder now with Mexican club Pachuca, played for Italian football giants AC Milan from 2014 till last year, scoring nine times from 81 outings.

Honda has been capped 90 by Japan, netting 36 goals for the Samurai Blue.

Asked whether Honda would attend the launch ceremony, Futamura said it had yet to be confirmed, given his club engagements.

“However, several dignitaries are expected at the launch, including the Japanese ambassador to Kenya, Mr Toshitsugu Uesawa,” Futamura said.