Fifteen-year-old Malawian footballer Mtameni Eisenhower Mkaka has joined the Marcet University academy in Barcelona, Spain, where he has already started a programme combining professional football training with international education.
His father, Eisenhower Mkaka, confirmed the move and said he was proud of his son.
He described Mtameni as a standout talent in the classroom and on the pitch, and said his joining the academy was "a huge blessing and a dream come true for the family".
Malawian football commentator Zifa Banda called the news "massive" for the country's game.
He said a 15-year-old from Malawi being accepted into a European academy showed that the country has talent that can compete internationally.
Banda said the benefits could extend beyond football.
When Malawian players succeed abroad, he argued, they bring in foreign currency through wages, signing fees and endorsements.
He also said that scouts and agents who take an interest in a player from Malawi could put the country on the map for young players, from Chitipa to Nsanje.
Mtameni is expected to spend two years at the academy, during which he will be assessed by leading European clubs.
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