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Thomas Dennerby Arrives Cairo to Lead FIFA Talent Hunt Programme
Former Nigeria head coach Thomas Dennerby has arrived in Cairo, Egypt, to lead a week-long FIFA Talent Hunt Programme aimed at identifying and developing young football talent.
The Sweden-born tactician, who guided Nigeria to a record ninth CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title in 2018 in Ghana, is heading a team of coaches and scouts involved in the FIFA initiative. The programme, organised in collaboration with the Egyptian Football Association (EFA), is designed to uncover promising male and female players who could form the foundation of Egypt’s future national teams.
Speaking exclusively to Prompt News from Cairo, Dennerby said his previous experience with Nigeria’s senior women’s national team had given him valuable insight into football development across Africa.
Dennerby, who began working with FIFA as a freelance coach in the summer of 2024, noted strong similarities between Egypt and Nigeria in terms of football potential, particularly on the men’s side.
“Coming to Egypt to conduct this programme is quite similar to working in Nigeria,” he said. “Both countries have a lot of talented players, especially on the men’s side.”
He revealed that within the first few days of the programme, the scouting team had already identified around 35 male players with the potential to develop into future stars of Egyptian football.
“We have discovered a lot of really good boys, which makes the selection process very difficult,” Dennerby explained. “There are many scouts and coaches involved, and we will continue working with the boys until Monday. The girls’ programme begins on Tuesday. It’s an ongoing process and very inspiring.”
When asked about a possible return to elite coaching, Dennerby—who also won a bronze medal with Sweden at the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup—said he remains open to taking on a technical advisory role with a national team.
“My current role is part-time,” he added. “I work as a Talent Identification Coach, finding and evaluating players together with scouts from FIFA member associations such as the EFA. It suits me perfectly, as long as as I don’t have to work full time.”
