The Real Madrid Foundation’s mission of expanding their footprint in South Africa is in full effect after they launched their third academy and South African Education Football Programme, its first in Gauteng, at the Generation Schools Taroko in Modderfontein on Wednesday.
Real Madrid is a global powerhouse and one of the biggest football clubs in the world and their collaboration with the Generation Schools has attracted massive attention from young, eager footballers, parents and students alike.
The highly anticipated launch was attended by heavyweights such as the Director of the Real Madrid Foundation Andrés Muntaner Borrajo, Alberto Giménez (Technical Director at Real Madrid Foundation SA), the Spanish Ambassador to South Africa, José Manuel Pascual and Jevron Epstein, who is CEO of Generation Schools and President of the Real Madrid Foundation in SA.
Parents and starry-eyed youngsters were also in attendance, and they are looking forward to being part of this incredible partnership and journey.
Since launching in South Africa earlier this year, the programme has expanded to include more than 90 young participants across its Sunningdale and Imhoff sites in the Western Cape. About 50 children have already joined the newly opened Johannesburg site at the Taroko campus. The Education Football Programme plans to have over 300 children enrolled by the end of the year.
This partnership between Los Blancos, as Madrid is affectionately known, and Generation Schools, offers much more than football coaching. It combines high-quality training with personal development, including structured mentorship, values-based education, and support for social and emotional growth.
To date, seven full bursaries, including six with accommodation, and 20 partial bursaries have been awarded by Generation Schools to promising young athletes from under-resourced communities in Cape Town. These bursaries give recipients access to independent education, boarding, and active participation in the Real Madrid Foundation Educational Football Programme, providing a consistent and nurturing environment in which learners can excel academically, socially, and physically.
“In the context of South Africa’s high youth unemployment and significant gaps in access to quality education, programmes like this are essential,” said Epstein, President of the Real Madrid Foundation South Africa.
“We use football as a tool to create real opportunities for education and personal growth. Our aim is not only to develop talent, but also to help young people build a future in sport, in the classroom, and in their communities.”
For many of the young participants, joining this programme could be the fulfilment of a childhood dream. But the experience is also rooted in practical support, positive role models, and the belief that, with access to the right resources, they can succeed.
