Cameroon named among world’s top nations exporting minor footballers 0

The International Center for Sport Studies (CIES) in its monthly report of December 2016 has revealed that 17% of Cameroonian footballers currently playing in 31 European championships migrated before they actually turned 18.

The report stated that Cameroon is the second African country after Nigeria and the 9th in the world where the migratory flow of young footballers under 18 is most intense. To be sure, the European continent remains the main destination for the export of minor footballers and many of them were transferred to their clubs before their 18th birthday.

Nigeria occupies the 7th position in the world and is the main exporter in Africa with a rate of 19% of international transfer before the players become mature. Brazil is the largest non-European country with 20%.

However, football’s world governing body (FIFA) prohibits the transfer of minors abroad. Nevertheless, there are three exceptions. “If the player’s parents move to the country of the new club for reasons other than football; Whether the transfer takes place within the European Union or within the European Economic Area for players aged 16 to 18; If the maximum border between the domicile of the player and the club does not exceed 100 km .”

By Chi Prudence Asong