The government will establish the best football training institute in central Asia, President Abdulla Yameen said on Wednesday.

At an event to commemorate T.C. Sports Club’s victory in the Sheikh Kamal International Club Cup 2017, when it made history as the maiden Maldivian club to win an international title.

Three years into the full establishing of said institute, every club competing should have some percentage of players that graduated from there.

In the fifth year into it being established, Maldives should win the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) championship, and hold this position in the years after, President Yameen insisted.

“Our discussions with the FAM is as such, once this school is established, the SAFF championship will permanently be ours” he said.

Further, he said that Maldivian players still need to focus on improving discipline and follow rigorous training practices.

President Yameen had also pledged to ensure at least 50 percent of the national team comprises of T.C Clubs players.

TC beat South Korea’s Pocheon Citizen FC in the final match of the Sheikh Kamal Cup on March 3, and won the Cup without losing any of their matches.

“TC has made the country proud by becoming the first club to bring a gold medal back to the country,” said FAM President Bassam Adeel Jaleel.