Cameroon: in the footsteps of Diop Khadim, the little boy from Cité Verte with a dream

Cameroon: in the footsteps of Diop Khadim, the little boy from Cité Verte with a dream
(DR)
© (DR)

Originally from Cameroon, Diop Khadim, forward for Dakar Sacré Cœur (DSC) U-19, was trained at the National Football Academy (Anafoot), where he played for nearly 4 years (2019-2022). He notably stood out by scoring many goals with this structure.

His performances allowed him to join the U-17 national team in 2021 for the 2021 edition of the Total U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, which was unfortunately canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Morocco. Furthermore, Diop Khadim experienced several selections as well as pre-selections. Let’s discover together the journey of this young football prodigy.

Read more From Elite One to Europe: how the Cameroonian championship creates synergies in betting with the Premier League and La Liga



Selected among the top three players of Anafoot to participate in a 2-week training camp at City Football Schools (Manchester City) in 2019 and also pre-selected for the Cameroon U17 national team for the World Cup preparatory camp at the Fecafoot Technical Center in Odza, Yaoundé, the same year. His love for football dates back to the age of 4, carrying his inimitable and eternal smile, he mystifies opponents stunned by his ease with the ball at his feet. He works on his innate technique during training, as well as his footwork and reaction speed. Also with his personal coach.

Arriving at Anafoot in 2019, where he spent nearly 4 years, Diop Khadim participated in several highly competitive football tournaments. He won several awards such as the Semence Olympique tournament where he was named top scorer in 2019 and also took part in the Geremi Njitap Challenge where he was awarded best forward in 2021. Finally, it is with Nkufo Academy that the young prodigy from the Green City will now continue his development. Nkufo, a Cameroonian club playing in regional D2, was crowned champion of the Central regional league. The regional D2 club aims to move up to Elite 2, but the saga was short-lived. Diop Khadim made a strong impression on his teammates and coach by scoring goals and providing assists. But his romance with the club lasted only one season (2022-2023). He had to leave the Cameroonian capital to grow and finally become what he was meant to be.

Diop Khadim thus settled at Dakar Sacré Cœur (Senegal) with the status of a promising player. Arriving in Teranga in 2023, the native of the Green City has no time to curl up under his blanket. He must quickly acclimate to his new club. The DSC U-19 player continued his story in Ivory Coast where he competed in the Academies Trophy held in Abidjan for nearly a month with four African academies: USS Kraké (Benin), Kadji Sports Academy (Cameroon), ASEC Mimosas (Ivory Coast), and AS Dakar Sacré-Cœur (Senegal). The four African academies, along with two French academies, FC Lorient and Toulouse FC, competed in a tournament over five days. Ultimate pressure until the final outcome!

Read more PRASAC-Manioc phase 2: Yaoundé revives the momentum of regional agricultural research

But behind every young player are committed, professional, and passionate coaches and trainers. Beyond teaching football, they pass on strong human values to these young talents such as respect, self-improvement, solidarity, and team spirit. All with the participation of former Ligue 1 UberEats players, valuable in sharing their experience and expertise: José-Karl Pierre-Fanfan, Fousseni Diawara, Aurélien Chedjou, and Kaba Diawara.

Let us recall that this initiative of the “LIGUE 1 UBEREATS TROPHÉE DES ACADÉMIES,” one of the largest reality TV series in the football world, was broadcast on CANAL+ SPORT 1. In an interview alongside his mother who traveled from Cameroon to Senegal, Diop Khadim shows great humility and kindness towards his mother, a special chemistry expressed through a rather symbolic greeting. A few weeks later, Diop Khadim was awarded a medal and became champion of the Academies Trophy for the first edition with DSC (Senegal) against Asec Mimosas (Ivory Coast).

His adventure does not stop there. Taking a new step in his progression, Diop Khadim recently joined the first team of AS Dakar Sacré-Cœur, now playing in the Senegalese Ligue 1. To date, he has already played 7 official matches in the elite of Senegalese football, a major milestone confirming that the boy from the Green City is indeed turning his dream into reality. As Diop Khadim likes to say, “Dedication makes dreams come true.” With role models like Kylian Mbappé, Vinicius Junior, and Kobe Bryant, we wish him an excellent career like these athletes who have marked his life and the world of sports.

Read more Minawao: Cameroon takes the turn towards sustainable solutions

Translated from

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *