Sunderland winger Simon Adingra stranded abroad at 12 after cruel academy scam | OneFootball

Sunderland winger Simon Adingra was left to fend for himself in Benin aged 12 after a bogus academy scheme duped his family.

According to Sunderland Echo, the Ivory Coast international and nine other boys travelled from Ivory Coast to Benin expecting academy places, only to be abandoned without accommodation, support or money for food.

Adingra later said the organiser had taken their money and disappeared. With no help, the group considered returning home but chose to stay together, washing plates in restaurants for small payments and meals.

Their fortunes changed when a fellow Ivorian recognised their accent in the street, found them housing and helped build a small football set-up around the group, which grew into a functioning academy in Benin.

A tournament in Ghana brought a breakthrough with the Right to Dream academy. From there, Adingra progressed to Nordsjaelland and Brighton & Hove Albion before joining Sunderland.

He scored his first Sunderland goal on 28 December 2025 in a 1-1 home draw against Leeds United. He then joined Monaco on loan last winter for an initial £870,000, with an option to buy for £16 million, after struggling for regular starts under Règis Le Bris.

Adingra is currently at the World Cup, having not been selected for the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year.

Source: Sunderland Echo