For Rasheed Olabiyi, the Pepsi Football Academy youngster, the maxim that "charity begins at home" does not make much meaning as he prefers to
kick-off his professional football career in Europe instead of playing in the Nigerian League.

The attacking midfielder who captained the Pepsi Academy West to win the 4th Pepsi International Tournament in Lagos said that with the type of training he has received since joining the Pepsi Academy in 1998, he will find it easier to adapt to the pattern of play in most European Leagues than the Nigerian League.
“I like to play with lots of flair which the Nigerian League lacks,” says
Olabiyi who was invited to the last screening exercise for the Togo-bound Golden Eaglets.

Olabiyi, who also captained Pepsi Academy Lagos 1 in the just concluded Pepsi Festival of Youth said that the exposure Pepsi gives to the youngsters through training and organized competitions has helped make Pepsi Academy players the favourites for scouts and football managers.

He said his dream team is Barcelona FC and he hopes to meet his idols,
Deco and Ronaldinho.