Another tragedy has struck West African football just days after the killing of Cheikh Touré. Alassane Diallo, a young and gifted footballer from Pikine, Senegal, has been missing in Ghana since 18 October 2025, after falling victim to what appears to be another fake football trial scam.
Diallo had been lured by an invitation from a supposed Ghanaian club, Njaccaar Sports Center, which promised him a place in their team and a chance to compete in an upcoming trial tournament in Morocco. Carrying documents that seemed legitimate, the teenager left home full of hope for a professional breakthrough.
Once in Ghana, however, the dream took a dark turn. The organisers allegedly demanded 850,000 CFA francs (around R 26,030) for registration, then later 1,200,000 CFA francs (about R 36,720) for “urgent fees.” His family, desperate to support his ambitions, made both payments — but soon after, contact with Alassane was lost. His phone went silent on the evening of October 18, and he has not been heard from since.
The disappearance, eerily similar to Cheikh Touré’s murder in Ghana earlier this month, has sent shockwaves through Senegal’s football community. Diallo’s family has called on authorities in Senegal and Ghana, as well as international human rights and sports organisations, to urgently intervene.
This latest case exposes a growing pattern of fraudulent recruitment networks exploiting young African footballers’ dreams of going pro — turning ambition into tragedy.
Families and aspiring players are now being urged to verify all football opportunities and agents carefully, as these criminal schemes continue to claim victims across the continent.