Spanish second-division club SD Huesca will soon welcome four more Kenyan players after hosting the Safaricom Chapa Dimba All-Stars. The four will join Denzel Omollo and Jibreel Ismail, the two young Kenyans already training at the club’s academy.
Located in northeastern Spain near the borders of Catalonia, Valencia, France, and Andorra, SD Huesca has been steadily growing its reputation as a hub for international youth talent.
The club recently opened its doors to 24 promising young footballers (12 boys and 12 girls) selected during the Safaricom Chapa Dimba Season 4 tournament, offering them a one-week training camp with access to professional-level coaching, nutrition, and facilities. 32 players had been picked, but some of them were committed to their teams and could not make the trip to Spain.
For Denzel and Jibreel, both of whom joined the Huesca Academy in 2023, the arrival of the All-Star team brought a welcome sense of home.
“I was really excited at least one I’d get to talk my language Swahili, you know here not everyone speaks Swahili, even English,” said Denzel.
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Training at Huesca
The 16-year-old was scouted in 2023 while playing for Ligi Ndogo in Nairobi. Though the original plan was for him to complete his studies first, he convinced his father to let him join the academy early.
According to Omollo, his days in Spain are tightly structured. He attends academic classes during the day, before taking Spanish lessons in the evening, with football training sessions starting at 7:30 p.m.
“I like the way they motivate each other when they play, you know, phrases like ‘no pasa nada’, which means like don’t worry if you make a mistake, you know you have to keep your heads up, the game is still going, you know, in Kenya we say game ni 90,” he added.
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For Jibreel and Denzel, the experience has been transformative—and they shared it with the All-Stars during their joint training sessions and friendly matches throughout the week.
“In Kenya, it was more of running and more physicality, but here it’s more technique and tactical. So, it’s easier to play here. In Kenya, it’s more physical,” Jibreel said.
The Chapa Dimba All-Stars were given a taste of the professional life of a footballer, right from kitting, training, and nutrition that is recommended even for the senior team professionals.
At the end of the week-long camp, which has included a few matches and training sessions, SD Huesca coaches will pick four players from the visiting All-Stars. These players will now return to Spain to join Denzel and Jibreel at the academy for a full year, further strengthening the Kenyan presence at the club.
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