By Desmond Tunde Coker
Following their historic qualification for the TotalEnergies U-20 Africa Cup of Nations for the first time, the Sierra Leone National U-20 Team (Shooting Stars) has commenced training under the guidance of Head Coach Mohamed Lamin Kamara. The training camp began on Monday, January 20, 2025, at the SLFA Academy in Freetown at 7 a.m. prompt.
Preparations for the Tournament
The training camp is part of the team’s preparations for the 2025 TotalEnergies U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled to take place from April 26 to May 18, 2025, in Ivory Coast. This tournament also serves as the African qualifiers for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile. The top four teams that reach the semi-finals will secure automatic qualification for the global event.
Building a Strong Squad
Coach Kamara and his technical team are committed to building a strong squad to represent Sierra Leone and compete for both continental and global success. Sierra Leone will be joined by the reigning champions of the TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, Senegal, as the two representatives of the WAFU A Zone. Senegal was crowned champions of the WAFU A Qualifiers after defeating Sierra Leone 2-0 in the finals held in Liberia.
Both Senegal and Sierra Leone gained automatic qualification to the continental finals, set to be held this year with 12 nations vying for the continental crown and a place in the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile. The TotalEnergies CAF U-20 AFCON remains one of the most sought-after youth cup competitions on the CAF calendar, with teams showing great improvement each year at the continental stage.
Player Selection
Below are the 50 players called by the technical team to start preparations for the tournament:
The successful qualification and preparation efforts reflect the dedication and hard work of both the players and the technical team. As the Shooting Stars gear up for the upcoming challenges, the nation looks forward to their remarkable performance on the continental stage.