'You need to start young enough, and that for me means 12. 'We have created an U17 World Cup every year so that we don't lose a generation since a 16-year-old (often) can't get into a U17 team,' Wenger said at the congress in the Rwandan capital, Kigali.

Fifa chief of global football development Arsene Wenger has led plans to make the Under-17 World Cup an annual event Spearheaded by former Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger, Fifa aims to install academies in every country around the world by the end of 2026. The announcement regarding the U17 World Cup aligns with Fifa's announcement of a Talent Development Scheme, propelled by $200m of investment from football's governing body over the next three years. He also believes that giving more of the continent's youngsters the chance to shine in such competitions 'will see more Africans playing for big, big clubs'. 'For a youth to play at this level, it makes you become a mature player at the age of 20 or 21, which is very important.' It was my first time to travel to Europe and when I came back, I was like another person.' 'I started with an Under-14 competition in France. Geremi played at every youth level for Cameroon, winning the African U17 title, and he explained how playing in an Under-14 tournament overseas completely changed his mindset. 'In Africa, we don't have enough competitions and to be a professional, you need to start young.' 'For me, it's very, very big news,' the former Real Madrid and Chelsea midfielder told BBC Sport Africa. The move has been welcomed by many, including former Cameroon international Geremi.

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