Malawi’s rising football star, Mwisho Mhango, an 18-year-old midfielder/winger from Ascent Academy and the Malawi Under-20 National Team, is confirmed to join German 2. Bundesliga club Hannover 96.
He is expected to travel to Germany to begin pre-season preparations immediately following his participation in the COSAFA Region 5 games in Namibia.
Mhango’s move to Hannover 96 comes after a successful period of training and trials with several European clubs. In July 2024, he, alongside fellow Ascent Academy talent Hermas Masinja, spent two productive weeks at Iceland’s Breidablik Football Club, catching the eye of European scouts.
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More recently, in a further testament to their potential, Mhango and Masinja (U19) underwent a training placement and trial with Austrian Bundesliga champions SK Sturm Graz, who secured a UEFA Champions League last season. Both players demonstrated their ability to adapt to the high tempo of European football.
“I have signed with Hannover 96 and I will be traveling to Germany after these Cosafa Region games,” Mhango confirmed after scoring a brace in the Malawi Under-20’s opening match against Zimbabwe at the Region 5 games.
He expressed his excitement about the move, stating, “I will become the first player to play in Germany Bundesliga. This is a great story not only for me but Malawi as a country, this can be a window of opportunity.” He also encouraged other young players to persevere, emphasizing that dedication will open doors.
George Maguire, co-founder of Ascent Soccer, highlighted the positive feedback received on both Mhango and Masinja during their time in Iceland, noting Breidablik’s interest in their return.
Mhango’s talent has been evident for years; he was called up to the Malawi U17 team at just 14 and was named to the Tournament XI at COSAFA Championship, where he led the squad with a goal and three assists. He has also been an anchor for the U17 squad and played a key role in the Malawi U20s’ victory at the 4 Nations Tournament in March 2024.
Ascent Soccer, Malawi’s only full-time residential football academy program since 2018, has a strong track record of developing talent. The academy has produced over 30 youth and senior internationals, with seven graduates playing in Malawi’s top professional league and eight on athletic scholarships in the USA and Canada.
Hannover 96, officially Hannoverscher Sportverein von 1896, is a prominent German professional sports club based in Hanover. Founded on April 12, 1896, the club boasts over 22,000 members, making it the largest in Lower Saxony.
Hannover 96 has a rich history, including two German football championships (1938 and 1954) and a DFB-Pokal victory in 1992, making them the first second-division side to win the cup.
They have also reached the quarter-finals of European competitions twice. Since 1959, the team has played at the 49,000-capacity Niedersachsenstadion, a venue for major international tournaments.
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