PH
American pop star Madonna has moved to Lisbon so her 11-year-old son David can join the youth academy at top football club Benfica, local media reported Thursday.
David Banda, who Madonna adopted from Malawi in 2006, has joined the Benfica training centre in the Lisbon suburb of Seixal, Correio da Manha reported. The recent acceptance of Banda into the Benfica youth academy has prompted Madonna to move out of the hotel she was staying in and buying a $9million house. Madonna posted pictures of the budding star on her Instagram page. In one of the posts the Pop icon writes, “We are Always Raising Malawi!!”.
Photo Credit: Reuters
Madonna has also done some incredible things in Malawi by opening a world-class children’s hospital in Malawi to much praise from the government and Malawians in general. The singer/philanthropist has a close relationship with the southern African country having adopted four children from the country.
“Madonna is no longer a tourist, she now lives in Lisbon,” Portuguese magazine Visao said, republishing several pictures taken from her Instagram account of the 59-year-old singer visiting Portugal over the last couple of months.
Madonna has been staying in a Lisbon hotel after buying a house in the bucolic village of Sintra, 30 kilometres northwest of the Portuguese capital.
The 19th century building was put up for sale for 7.5 million euros ($9 million) and could take about six months to renovate, according to Visao.
Banda impressed coaches during a recent trial stint at the Centro de Seixal del Benfica training centre so much so that he was invited to join the club’s Under-12 ranks, ESPN reported.
Double Trouble gives Daddy Long legs 🏃🏿🏃🏿🏃🏿🏃🏿 A run for his money!! 🇲🇼⚽️♥️🇲🇼⚽️♥️⚽️🇲🇼💯🇲🇼💯♥️😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/Mll6n93RjN
— Madonna (@Madonna) August 10, 2017
The club accepted the boy after his first test in the spring and he will stay at the academy until he starts the school year at a French high school in Lisbon, Correio da Manha said, citing a source close to Benfica.
Rumours about a possible move began when Madonna was spotted at the school in May.
