"It is a world-class facility and an example for countries in Africa and beyond to follow," Pinnick told MAP.

The Mohammed VI Football Academy is a breeding ground to train rising talented football stars, he stressed, congratulating Morocco on this occasion for "this formidable facility" which benefits not only the Kingdom, but also many other African countries, including Nigeria.

Pinnick pointed out that the boom in Moroccan football is largely the result of the Academy's high-quality work in training and developing footballing skills.

The Mohammed VI Football Academy "marks a real paradigm shift" for Moroccan football, he added.

Morocco attaches great importance to the development of its sports infrastructure, particularly in football, and this choice has paid off in terms of the results achieved to date, he said, noting that the Kingdom's experience in this field should inspire other nations to follow suit.