FSV Mainz partners with Aristide Bance to support youth academy in Ivory Coast

Bundesliga side FC Mainz has partnered with former Burkina Faso international Aristide Bance. The ex-footballer has forged a partnership with the German club to support the FC Mainz 05 Training Center in Jacqueville, Ivory Coast.

Bance, 41, kick-started his football career in Ivory Coast with Stade d’Abidjan. He played for Mainz between 2008 and 2010. After retirement, he set up a youth academy named the FC Mainz 05 Training Center.

The Bundesliga club is expected to strengthen its two-year partnership with the football academy and invest in infrastructure and training equipment. In return, promising young talents from the training center will have the opportunity to join Mainz 05.

Mainz sporting director Christian Heidel said the cooperation will help many young and talented players in the region. “We were involved very early on in its academy development project. Aristide Bance has created a remarkable project there, primarily a social one. It offers many young people in the region, often from disadvantaged backgrounds, access to football and academic training that is fully integrated into the community. This is the foundation for the emergence of promising young talents, likely to interest Mainz 05,” said Heidel.

Bance, who led Burkina Faso for 17 years, on his part, cherished the partnership agreement. “This is a huge source of motivation for all the players, and this cooperation allows us to better support young talents in their development.”

Two players from this academy, Mokesse Banba and Alynho Haidara, will be the first to join Mainz. Similar arrangements are common between European clubs and African football academies. Senegalese side Génération Foot works closely with French Ligue 1 side FC Metz.

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