In the heat of rural Leicestershire, a group of Ghanaian teenagers are pursuing their ambition to become professional footballers. The Samba Stars, an academy backed by former West Ham and Nottingham Forest forward Michail Antonio, have spent two and a half months in England competing against EFL and non-league youth teams with a singular objective: to impress scouts and secure professional contracts.
Head coach Freddie Okyere has orchestrated a shooting drill and now allows the squad to recover. While international scouts occasionally visit west Africa, it remains uncommon for academies to transport their players to the United Kingdom to showcase them directly to professional clubs.
"The talent the lads have is incredible," said Antonio. "We created Samba Stars Academy to give young players in Ghana access to elite coaching, shape them as players and create real avenues into the pro game and show how much talent Ghana has."
The academy, established in Kumasi with a new facility under construction in Bompata—just over 100 miles north of Ghana's capital Accra—has employed this unconventional strategy with considerable success. Bournemouth, Everton, Manchester City, Charlton, Preston, Barnsley and Peterborough have all invited players for trials during the summer months.
One notable success story emerged earlier in the year when midfielder Listowell Lord Hinneh completed a move to Middlesbrough on 3 February 2026 following a successful trial. The 18-year-old, born on 25 November 2007, had featured five times in the Ghana Premier League across two seasons for Berekum Chelsea and Asante Kotoko before making the switch to England's north east. He has since trained with Middlesbrough's first team and appeared in Premier League 2 fixtures for the club's U21 side.
"When I came in January, it was so cold. Experiencing something like that for the first time was tough," Hinneh told a national broadcaster. "Moving was a big milestone. It just makes me feel the dreams I've been having, thinking of trying to find myself in Europe to become a professional footballer. I feel the kind of dreams that I want, I'm on the verge. I'm on the way [to] becoming who I wanted to become."
Hinneh, whose sister Groovy resides in Leeds, met with the Samba Stars squad during their England visit and offered guidance to his younger peers.
"[I told them] what you've been dreaming about the future, it starts from here," he said. "Don't just try, be so passionate. You need to play and enjoy it because you can have the success in whatever you're doing. You have to just put your heart in it."
Okyere has observed a transformation in his players since their arrival.
"The first two or three weeks it hadn't sunk in, but then they saw the facilities we'd be [using] and the teams we were playing," the head coach explained. "They want to go and show what they can do. They are hungry, they really want it. I'm hoping there will be so much interest because we have so much talent here. With the facilities we will have in Ghana we feel we will be top two, top three [academies]. We hope we can bring the best of Ghana to Europe."
How have the Samba Stars performed in England?
The visiting squad has compiled an impressive record against youth teams from professional clubs. They opened their tour with a 9-0 victory over Dorking Wanderers and subsequently defeated Under-21 sides from Sheffield Wednesday, Luton and Peterborough. The group drew matches at Sheffield United and Barnsley, with their sole defeat coming 3-2 against Preston's U21 side. Antonio attended a 6-0 demolition of Peterborough U19s last month.
"You can see from what they've done since they've been in the UK - the results against top teams - that they have what it takes to play pro level," said the 36-year-old Antonio. "It's great to help knock down barriers and give these lads a real chance."
Rob Newman, formerly West Ham's head of recruitment and Manchester City's international scouting and recruitment manager, spent time with the academy in Ghana earlier this year and has assisted with coaching during their Harborough stay.
"Hopefully clubs can see the potential," said the ex-Bristol City and Norwich defender. "Nothing will give me greater pleasure in six months [than] going to see these boys playing in a first team in Europe. I believe they are two or three months away from being able to do that."
What challenges did the squad face?
All but one of the 20-strong visiting group initially faced visa application denials before eventually gaining admission following re-evaluation. Since their arrival in the United Kingdom, they have been accommodated by Brook House College in Market Harborough and have trained at Harborough Town, a club competing in the National League North.
Seventeen-year-old goalkeeper Joshua Tetteh Tuwor has reflected on the contrasts between English and Ghanaian football.
"The football [here] is very detailed," he said. "In Ghana we have the same passion but I'm seeing a different side of professional football. We are grateful to have such opportunities to train with elite coaches."
What is Ghana's track record in developing overseas talent?
Ghana have qualified for five of the past six FIFA World Cups—having never appeared before 2006—and reached the quarter-finals in 2010. At this year's tournament, where they exited in the last-32 against Colombia, eight members of the squad were born overseas. While the Black Stars have not relied as heavily on diaspora talent as some other African nations, the Ghana Football Association has signalled an intention to broaden its global recruitment efforts, a development that could potentially affect home-grown player pathways.
The new English Premier League season has commenced with six Ghana internationals on top-flight rosters: Mohammed Kudus at Tottenham, Antoine Semenyo with Manchester City, Brighton's Ibrahim Osman, Ipswich's new signing Abdul Fatawu, and Coventry's Brandon Thomas-Asante and Caleb Yirenkyi. The first Ghanaian to appear in the English top flight was striker Nii Lamptey when he joined Aston Villa in 1994, while midfielder Michael Essien accumulated the most appearances, winning two titles with Chelsea. Only two other Ghanaians have lifted the Premier League trophy—Jeffrey Schlupp and Daniel Amartey when Leicester achieved their historic triumph in 2015-16.
What motivates the young players?
Eighteen-year-old striker Sherif Mashud, who has already undergone a trial with Hungarian top-tier side Zalaegerszegi through his involvement with Samba Stars, articulates the weight of expectation that accompanies pursuit of a professional career.
"You have to have a tough mentality," he said. "Back home everyone is depending on you, everyone is looking up to you to succeed, to come and help them, your friends, your family. Everyone is praying for you."
Hinneh, who cites Kudus as his primary inspiration, harbours ambitions of following his heroes into the Premier League after Middlesbrough narrowly missed promotion in last season's Championship play-off final.
"Back home we've got people you grew up with and you might miss them, but that doesn't kill the dreams I'm here for," he reflected. "I'm trying to figure out what the reality is, what the future holds for me and then just chase the dreams."
The Samba Stars Academy represents part of a broader pattern of African talent development. Antoine Semenyo's trajectory from early rejections and non-league football to becoming a Ghana World Cup star demonstrates how resilience and mentorship can transform young players' careers, a lesson the current cohort of Samba Stars players are now learning firsthand.
Key Facts
- The Samba Stars have spent 2.5 months in England competing against EFL and non-league youth teams, with scouts from seven Premier League or Championship clubs attending trials
- Listowell Lord Hinneh, a midfielder who joined Middlesbrough in February 2026, had previously appeared five times in the Ghana Premier League before his move to England
- The squad compiled a strong record in England, winning against Sheffield Wednesday, Luton and Peterborough U21 sides while suffering only one defeat to Preston's U21 team
- Six Ghana internationals currently play in the Premier League, with the nation having qualified for five of the past six World Cups
- Rob Newman, formerly Manchester City's international scouting and recruitment manager, believes several Samba Stars players are capable of playing at professional level in Europe within months
