Stadium of Light

Mogadishu Stadium - June 2020

I've been following the renovation of Mogadishu Stadium and its process since it began and I must say that I'm really impressed with the ground work and commitment by the team behind the project. As a young kid, I've always mesmerised in wearing the 9 shirt for my national team and scoring plenty of hat-tricks along the way. This was a dream for many young Somali football enthusiast, to play or watch a game in our national stadium and supporting our boys along the way.

The talent is all over this great city.

Credit; @NISSomalia

One thing we really need to focus on now is developing young players as there are plenty of them all over the city and along the sandy beaches of Lido on Friday morning's. Footballing talents of Brazil have emerged through the ranks and many have noted by playing in the beach, it had allowed them to flourish even more in the green grass or astroturf.

I think you understand where I'm getting at. Our young boys and girls play football on similar sand every morning and with personal and technical coaching, we can produce global stars ourselves.

Ministry of Youth & Sports will have to play a key role in the future development and this will require very important attention to detail and provide open space training academies to scout talents all over the city and regions across the country.

I see a vision here and it has local breed global stars as its main presenters.

Mohamed Hassan