The Away Game: The Epic Search for Soccer’s Next Superstars

Placeholder author icon
By Sebatian Abbot ’98

Published Jan. 17, 2018

Led by the scout who launched Lionel Messi’s career, Football Dreams, a program designed to discover soccer stars, holds tryouts each year for millions of 13-year-old boys across Africa. Reporter Sebastian Abbot ’98 follows a group of boys as they train at the academy in Doha, Qatar, and compete for a spot in one of Europe’s top clubs.

Paw in print

Image
The February 2026 cover of PAW, featuring a photo of Joseph Nye.
The Latest Issue

February 2026

Lives Lived & Lost in 2025, Saying ’yes’ to more housing; AI startup stars