Scotland’s leading football clubs are falling behind their English counterparts in integrating refugee talent, according to lecturer Hyab Yohannes. Yohannes, a lecturer in forced migration and decolonial education at the University of Glasgow, said this in a recent interview.
Integration Gap
Yohannes points to the success of nations such as Australia, Canada, England, France, Germany and Morocco in fielding players of migrant background at the World Cup. He cites Alphonso Davies, the Bayern Munich and Canada full-back, and Anthony Rudiger, the Real Madrid and Germany centre-half, as examples of players who overcame difficult upbringings after their parents fled war-torn homelands. In contrast, he argues, Scottish academies lack the “strong connections” with refugee communities that enable such talent to be identified and nurtured.
Current Efforts
While there are commendable initiatives funded by the Scottish government and the Scottish Football Association that help disadvantaged children play sport, Yohannes notes that many promising players such as Islam Feruz (Somalia) and Joel Kasubandi (Democratic Republic of Congo) have already been picked up by professional clubs in Scotland. He also highlights the work he does with the Eritrean community in Scotland and in England, where he has seen families relocate to gain access to academies: an Eritrean family moved from Glasgow to Manchester so their son could join the Manchester United academy after playing with Crystal Palace.
Current Systems in England
Yohannes explains that English clubs like Manchester United, Leeds United, Sheffield United, Liverpool and Arsenal have established networks with schools that organise small tournaments and invite academy scouts. These scouts then run short trials, assess skills and decide whether to continue training. He says this “multi-agency approach” builds trust and allows clubs to recruit kids from refugee backgrounds effectively.
Challenges and Roadblocks
Yohannes stresses that many refugee children face barriers to accessing grassroots teams, especially on Saturdays and Sundays. Language barriers, lack of knowledge about available services and safety concerns further hinder participation. He notes that anti-immigration protests and racially motivated assaults, such as the incident in Glasgow in June, create a toxic environment that discourages families from engaging with football.
Call to Action
He calls for a concerted effort from government, local authorities and sporting associations to facilitate mixing of refugee children with local players. Schools, community centres and charities should be involved to identify talent early. Yohannes believes that if Scotland can replicate the systems used by English clubs, it could “reap rich rewards at international level.”
