I prefer that my people receive a little of what life has given me.
Discipline, self control,
that's what you want. Not money.
I know he has a bright future.
Passion, giving back, winning, initiative, self-discipline, social intelligence.
So it's been a part of me.
Yeah!
I started playing football when I was very young, just a little boy.
I think I was like 5 years old, at the beach and I was discovered by my former coach.
In my community, and then through that RTD had scouts and had about 2 months trials.
And then I was able to join RTD.
When I was back home, all I knew was just to play football.
Didn't focus much about the school, but I was able to combine my football
and education as well as the character.
So it's made me a better person as well.
So everything started from this small pitch
as you see here.
-Yeah, so you see I played barefeet on the sand? -Yes.
-There's all this stuff on the ground. -Sometimes I'd get cuts, but it's normal.
-It's normal? -It's normal for me, yeah.
Because this was what you wanted to play.
Yeah.
So no matter what the consequence, you still want to play here.
That's beautiful.
It just shows you guys really love football. Why not play it?
Yeah, when I come here, there are lots of memories
and I see the small kids doing the same thing I did when I was young.
So sometimes it motivates me to also help them to continue doing what they are doing,
Because they don't know where the opportunities might come from.
So I motivate them to keep playing.
People would be walking by and see them and help them continue their dream.
If you are able to play here and take good touches on this pitch
-You can do it anywhere. -You can do everything.
What happens if you shoot the ball into the ocean or it pops?
I think normally you bring two balls so when one goes, they have the other one.
But there's a situation where the two balls goes, then someone who is very good in swimming,
The person will go in there.
All right.
So the kids will contribute and then they will go for the ball.
If you aren't part of the contribution, then you are not allowed to play.
-you have to pay to get the ball. -You have to pay.
You ask your mother, mom I need this money to get the ball.
If she didn't give you, then you aren't playing.
You would just be sitting down and watching them play and cry and be sad.
-Have you ever been there sad and crying? -Of course, there's been many situations.
I go to my mom, my mom wouldn't have the money for me, so I need to come here and watch them play.
I am very excited to see this place when I come back, because I'm always ready to help them.
So when I see them, I want them to come close to me and see where I started from.
When I see this place, the engine pushes me to do really well.
So in the area, he was very known as a footballer
Until the fortunate time came, that the coach said okay, let me send you to the academy.
Well, from the academy back home
– always people admired him,
said that he will be a great footballer in the future.
So this is how we see him.
When he comes back home, he does everything as normal as he's been doing before.
He sleeps with us, eats the same food, he does not raise himself
above that he has been traveling.
So everything is normal about him.
I came with my brother to the station and I left and I'm like..
Seriously I was crying.
Like physically crying
and I'm like I'm missing my family.
All that stuff, you miss your family and friends back home.
I also knew the reason why I was coming here. I wanted to make my family better.
Maybe even my kids, my family in the future have a good life too. That's why I'm coming here.
Then I came in here with a big purpose,
I overlooked missing my family, friends back home.
My name is Diomande Mohammed and I'm from Ivory Coast
– where you see a lot of kids playing football all day.
But there are also people who are like bad if I say, they lead their kids into fields they don't want to be.
So I'm actually from a tough background – and I would like to make my community better
The scouts came to Ivory Coast and they saw me play. That day it was a school day, I had to go to school.
But I dodged around so my parents wouldn't see me and I went to play.
And I did well that day and they saw that I had the ability to be in the academy so I came here.
I came to Ghana in 2012.
Red!
Let's get in!
Tight area!
Come on!
Give me!
Chemistry in between in each other, so you can develop well
by winning the ball quicker. okay!
There should be chemistry in between each other. So when your team doesn't have the ball,
you need the chemistry.
When I say chemistry, you need to have a feel of each other.
Together we're going, one is pressing, the other one is protecting him
- not to have a deep pass in between.
The easiest way to come out of pressing is to what? Play in and then what? Out.
Get the ball!
Put pressure on the ball, that's it!
If you want water, go for it quick.
These are the people who were selected in the academy.
So when I came, I wanted my picture to be here also.
So I had to work hard and get a scholarship so I can see myself with the players here.
-So this is where kids want to be. -Yeah.
-And this is where they dream to go. -Yeah, exactly!
Why does this wall mean so much to you?
I mean you can see yourself, you can also see your friends, right?
And you can see where all the other guys from the academy are now.
Why is that special to you guys?
RTD is a family and before you can join you have to be selected.
I see my friends here and I want to be part of them.
So I have to work hard and get a scholarship
and if you are here, that means you have earned it and deserve to be here.
It's so good to be part of this family. That's why I really like the map.
Whenever I walk here and I see myself here,
I'm happy.
-You spoke about family, right? -Yeah.
-Is that your brother? -Yeah. He's my brother, yeah.
Do you think he's also gonna end up there one day?
I think so. He has the potential, just has to work hard and maybe he can also follow me there.
-That would be good. -That would be good.
-The Diomande brothers. -Yeah.
And when you get to the attacking 10, I want to see what? Deep runs.
They like to possess the ball. The play a similar type of football that we want to play.
But one thing they do do is when they are not in control they will come at you and try to break the game up.
By fouls, by shouting. They will try everything in the book
to try and break the flow of the game up when it doesn't go their way.
Be prepared from that. That's a character test, that we don't break our focus and get involved.
It's happened a lot in previous games,
When players started to get involved in verbals with their players. - And that's what they want.
Be mature than that, rise above it
and keep focus in the game.
Ready for it guys?!
Then sit down and watch!
When I first came, I wouldn't listen to any instructions, I just wanted to do my own thing.
I was used to being the one guy around because of the community
I'm from and the parents I grew up with
I've been able to learn about the 7 character traits
which is passion, giving back, winning, initiatives, self discipline and social intelligence.
So it's been part of me.
I think they are not just developing football players, but they are developing Africa role models.
In the future, we are also going to come back to the community or our country to help.
Not saying that Ghanian schools are bad, but some teachers
are just working for the money.
In RTD teachers come in. - they get their money, but they work with you because they want to work with you.
They want to nurture the talent, they want to make a future for Africa.
People know it as a football academy, but the education here is very, very serious
and that's why it's unique.
So the teachers, we have the coaches, the analysts, we have the department, where you can talk to them
About your lifestyle, about your character.
So you see the heads in this department, these guys really
impact our lives in the academy I think it's important
To have these guys in your life
to get where you want to go.
-How are you? -Awesome.
How are you? Please come around.
My name is Diomande Mohammed and I'm from Ivory Coast
– for me, I think I'm more than just a football player.
I do things to help my community and I give back to the community. Something like that.
To summarize, you want to be seen more like someone who is championing some cause in your community.
Using your football as a platform.
Whatever football gives you, you want to use it to set change in your community.
The facilities in the academy has also improve my way of performing and my football level.
Because back here, the pitches aren't really good,
but exposing us in Europe, playing tournaments and things,
It has really exposed me a lot and shaped me to become the person I am today.
It is important for kids or humans to have fun, because you only live once, so just make good use of it.
And I think in RTD it's very fun, because of what they're teaching me, like self-discipline, passion,
Group mindset, winning, like,
When you first come in and start hearing – you change your mind,
and you know you can make what people say is impossible possible.
So sometimes you find yourself in a tough situation and you think about
what you were learning here, working on your weakness, trying again.
Sometimes you try and fail. Keep trying!
That's why nights come and then the sun rises. There is definitely going to be a brighter day.
I have a bit of a crazy one. I want to be the greatest football player for Africa.
In 5 years time I want to play the world cup and Champions League.
I see myself playing there now, everytime I go to training.
I want to play for Juventus, that's my dream. A big dream ahead of me.
I learn daily and I never stop learning and I won't stop learning.
I just keep learning until I leave this earth.
Talent is on a limit. Talent plus hard work then it's success.
But talent only you will fail – but with talent and hard work, then you will definitely succeed.