Teen duo relieved to be back home in CT after football tour group left stranded in Portugal

Thirty-four young footballers and four coaches flew to Spain earlier in July for a football tournament arranged by BT Football Academy. The academy failed to book return flights despite participants paying R50,000 each for the trip.

Pauline Myaba (centre) from Table View shares a moment with her mother after her arrival from Portugal. Pauline was one of the group of 34 footballers who were left stranded in Portugal after trip organiser BT Football Academy failed to book return flights for them. Picture: Cailyn Pretorius/EWN

CAPE TOWN - Two of the 25 young football players and one of the coaches, who were stuck in Portugal after a botched football tour, were met with cheers of jubilation on Wednesday when they arrived at Cape Town International Airport.

Thirty-four young footballers and four coaches flew to Spain earlier in July for a football tournament arranged by BT Football Academy.

The academy failed to book return flights despite participants paying R50,000 each for the trip.

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Aakifah Damon from Pelican Park and Pauline Myaba from Tableview both said that they were extremely relieved to be back home.

The families of the 17-year-old footballers gathered at the international arrivals gate to welcome them back from their ordeal.