The most successful clubs in the world, Barcelona is launching a football academy in Lagos, Nigeria. The academy, in Africa's biggest city, is the first of its kind on the continent.

According to Africa News, the Football Academy in one of Africa's largest city is the first of its kind in the continent. The football academy is modeled on Barcelona's flagship la Masia Academy in Spain.

The club is officially known as FCBEscola Lagos. The school is temporarily located at the multi-sports Teslim Balogun Stadium Complex in the sprawling surgery suburb.

BBC has reported, children between the ages of 5 and 18 years visit the academy regularly to get Barcelona football coaching. At present 400 students are in the academy which cost a fee a $600 a year. They are attending the training at the school once a week.

The Lagos academy joins a growing list of other similar Barcelona football across Asia, the Americas, and Europe. Among the top European clubs, it is only one with a football academy on the African continent.

The report has stated that the academy has been attracting children from within and outside Nigeria. The local administrator Leslie Oghomienor said, they also have children from Spain, Taiwan, India, Greece and other Asian countries.

The Barcelona allure means a lot of many of the children at this Lagos school. The local administrator said," we are going to give them international exposure; the world has to know something good coming out of Africa in Lagos".

From Taiwan David Niu, lists Argentinean forward Lionel Messi, who trained at Lala Masia as a young star as his idol. He describes the school as a place which creates the vibes that every Barcelona player should have.

However, the Lagos academy is considered an opportunity for Barcelona to tap into the abundant football talent. This is the largest populous nation of about 180 million people.

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