In West Africa's Soccer of Deceit, Teenage Players Are Sold for Thousands of Dollars by Fake Agents
A mother in Dakar, Senegal is left broken and heartbroken after her 18-year-old son Cheikh Touré was killed by fake agents who promised him a football career. In October last year, Touré travelled to Ghana with a group of fellow young players, only to be forced into slavery by unscrupulous agents who had been in contact with them.
The group's journey, which seemed like an opportunity for their future careers and financial stability, was actually an organized crime setup designed to exploit the children. The group was supposed to travel to Morocco where they would train with a football club and meet international coaches. However, Touré did not arrive at his destination; instead, he was dropped off in Ghana by unknown men claiming that he had died in a car crash.
The Senegal Football Federation has reported that Touré's death is an example of a network of fraudulent recruiters who lured him out of the country and exploited him for financial gain. His mother says she trusted Cheikh when he said he was going to Morocco to train with a football club, as he had shown her his passion for soccer through TikTok videos.
The situation raises questions about how thousands of young African players are being scammed by fake agents who promise them trials or contracts in Europe but instead extort their families for huge sums of money. A recent survey by Fifpro found that 70% of players received unsolicited approaches from agents, with only 56% receiving the promised trial and 44% signing a contract.
The International Players Union has raised concerns about young players being sold to fake agents who claim they can help them get contracts in Europe, but ultimately leave them without any footballing career. Touré's case highlights how vulnerable these young players are, as well as their desire for a better life and financial stability.
A mother in Dakar, Senegal is left broken and heartbroken after her 18-year-old son Cheikh Touré was killed by fake agents who promised him a football career. In October last year, Touré travelled to Ghana with a group of fellow young players, only to be forced into slavery by unscrupulous agents who had been in contact with them.
The group's journey, which seemed like an opportunity for their future careers and financial stability, was actually an organized crime setup designed to exploit the children. The group was supposed to travel to Morocco where they would train with a football club and meet international coaches. However, Touré did not arrive at his destination; instead, he was dropped off in Ghana by unknown men claiming that he had died in a car crash.
The Senegal Football Federation has reported that Touré's death is an example of a network of fraudulent recruiters who lured him out of the country and exploited him for financial gain. His mother says she trusted Cheikh when he said he was going to Morocco to train with a football club, as he had shown her his passion for soccer through TikTok videos.
The situation raises questions about how thousands of young African players are being scammed by fake agents who promise them trials or contracts in Europe but instead extort their families for huge sums of money. A recent survey by Fifpro found that 70% of players received unsolicited approaches from agents, with only 56% receiving the promised trial and 44% signing a contract.
The International Players Union has raised concerns about young players being sold to fake agents who claim they can help them get contracts in Europe, but ultimately leave them without any footballing career. Touré's case highlights how vulnerable these young players are, as well as their desire for a better life and financial stability.
... imagine being scammed like that and not even having the chance to chase your dreams... it's crazy how fake agents can take advantage of these poor kids just because they're passionate about soccer 
. but at least we got to see cheikh's passion for the game through his tiktok vids, right? 
that gives me hope for the future, maybe some good vibes can come out of this too 
like maybe more people will take notice and start helping these kids out... or the football federation can do something to stop these scams 
. anyway, my heart goes out to cheikh's mom, that's just heartbreaking 
these fake agents r takin advantage of peoples dreams & livelihoods they need to get caught & held accountable
I'm still trying to wrap my head around this... Thousands of dollars for a "football career" that turns out to be a scam? Like, what even is the appeal here? These kids are just trying to chase their dreams and get some decent education or stable jobs, but instead they're being exploited by people who care more about making a quick buck. 
This is just heartbreaking 
. It's like they're preying on these innocent kids who just want a chance at a football career 
️.
, and then finding out it was all a lie 
. I mean, what kind of person does that to a 18-year-old kid? 
. Maybe we can establish some kind of support system for them and their families 
.
. We need to do better for these kids 
.
. can't believe fake agents would do this to innocent kids 
. families trusting them blindly because of their passion for the game 
. and it's not just one case, thousands are being scammed like this every year 
.
. What needs to change is how we protect these kids from these fake agents who are taking advantage of them financially 
.
The tragic story of Cheikh Touré is a stark reminder of the dark underbelly of West Africa's youth soccer scene. It's heartbreaking to think that his mother trusted him enough to believe he was going to Morocco in pursuit of a football career, only for him to be exploited and ultimately lose his life. 
We need to take action to protect these vulnerable young players from being scammed out of their futures. 
Only then can we hope to prevent more tragedies like Touré's from occurring.
I'm totally gutted to hear about Cheikh's tragic fate... These fake agents are just heartless 
. The stats are crazy too - 70% of players get approached by fake agents? That's like a recipe for disaster