Blue Crow Sports Group launches elite youth football academy in Botswana

A ‘Moneyball’ revolution is coming to African football. Can Botswana’s new youth team rival Europe’s best and produce the next $23M star?

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2025 December 4 . 1:29 AM

1 min read

In the picture there is a sports player,he is posing for the photograph and on his shirt there are... — In the picture there is a sports player,he is posing for the photograph and on his shirt there are names of different sponsors companies.

Blue Crow Sports Group launches elite youth football academy in Botswana

Blue Crow Sports Group is expanding its football network with a bold new project in Botswana. The company, led by former baseball executive Jeff Luhnow, plans to build an all-star youth team designed to develop African talent. This move follows their recent success with player Yan Diomande, who was sold to RB Leipzig for around $23 million after just ten La Liga appearances.

Jeff Luhnow, CEO of Blue Crow Sports Group, wants to bring a data-driven ‘Moneyball’ approach to football. His strategy focuses on identifying undervalued talent and developing it through a structured system. The Botswana team will face under-19 sides from Spain and France, mirroring Brentford’s B-team model.

The Botswana initiative will test Blue Crow’s ability to develop talent at scale. If the team performs well against top European youth sides, it could open doors for more players to follow Diomande’s path. The project also reinforces the group’s long-term strategy of building a self-sustaining football ecosystem across continents.