Real Sapphire, the football academy that produced celebrated international striker Victor Boniface, has restructured its operations with a promise to produce more world beaters.
Founded in 2015, the Lagos-based academy has transformed into a world-class football factory comprising two feeder teams and a conventional football club.
Known as De-Project, the first of the football nurseries focuses on discovering and developing young talent, specifically players under the age of 13. Players in this category are on academic and football scholarship. According to the club website, relsapphire.com, “At this crucial developmental stage, our coaching team ensures that these youngsters receive fundamental technical training while instilling discipline, teamwork, and a strong footballing mindset. The Project is where raw potential begins its transformation into future greatness.”
Next is the bridge between youth and senior football. Known as De-Elite, the team is made up of promising players under 16 who are rigorously trained and equipped with advanced skills, tactics, and mental fortitude. They currently play in the fourth tier of Nationwide Division Two known as the NLO 2. “This team,” says Real Sapphire, “is the breeding ground for future stars, consistently feeding into our senior squad.”
At the peak of the structure is Real Sapphire Football Club, the senior team which currently play in NLO One League (Third tier of the Nigerian National League), The Creative Championship (TCC) and the Federation Cup or FA Cup.
Founded in 2015 by the former president, Mr. Frank Peters, Real Sapphire has over the past nine years of its existence emerged as a key supplier of talent for Nigeria’s national teams, as well as for football clubs around the world. Their biggest product so far is Victor Boniface, Super Eagles forward and star striker for reigning German Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen.
Among other of their star products are Nnamdi Chinonso Offor and Idowu David Akintola, currently with FC Arda Kardzhali in the Bulgarian First League, as well as Tosin Aiyegun, who plays for FC Lorient in France, and the Benin National Team.
Others include Peter Oluwaseyi Ademo, currently with FC Sheriff Toraspol in the Moldovian Super Liga; Ejika Julius Opara and Adetunji Rasaq Adeshina, both currently with FK Novi Pazar in the Serbian Super Liga.
Yet another star product, Israel Usulor, played for the national U-17 team, the Golden Eaglets, during the 2023 African Nations Cup in Algeria. Then there is Jude Sunday, who played for the national U-20, the Flying Eagles, at the African Nations Cup in Egypt, and FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina. Sunday currently plays for AS Trencin in the Slovak Super Liga. “This is to name but few,” Real Sapphire Sport Director, Mr. Godwhinn Augustine, said. “As one of Nigeria’s fastest growing Club, we have more of them and more Victor Boniface waiting to take the world by storm.”
“It’s not for nothing that we pride ourselves as ‘The Citadel of Football Gladiators” and Nigeria’s fastest growing football club,” he further said, adding: “Through hard work and dedication, we strive to constantly enhance players’ ability and drives inclusion in what we call ‘Soccer Speaks’.
“We are determined to continue to produce young players of the highest quality through our outstanding scouting set-up. Our impact is real, but this is just the beginning. Real Sapphire have much more to offer and you can take that to the bank.”
