Kenyans are steadily carving their space on the global stage, excelling in fields as diverse as business, technology, and sports.
In football, Naythan Din-Kariuki, who works as Lead Data Scout at Aston Villa, has added another milestone after being selected for the prestigious UEFA Elite Scout Programme.
This week, Din announced that he has been accepted into the UEFA Academy course, a highly selective programme designed to sharpen the skills of professionals involved in talent identification across Europe.
On his LinkedIn page, Din shared the news with excitement and humility: “Excited to share that I’ve been accepted onto the UEFA Elite Scout Programme (UEFA Academy), beginning Tuesday in London. It’s a small cohort, and I feel truly honoured to be included.”
The UEFA Academy initiative is recognised for shaping the next generation of football’s recruitment leaders. Participants are drawn from across the continent, representing a range of backgrounds, from former players and coaches to data specialists and heads of recruitment at top clubs. For Din, being part of this select group reflects both his professional credibility and the growing role of analytical approaches in modern football.
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“I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn from some of the very best in the game and gain insight into different perspectives and processes. From the conversations already happening in the group, the diverse mix of backgrounds including former players, heads of recruitment, coaches and data-driven scouts, promises to make this a fantastic learning environment, he said.
Crucially, Din stressed that this experience is not just about personal growth, underscoring his focus on applying lessons to benefit his club’s recruitment strategy.
The Journey to Villa Park
Din’s selection to UEFA’s elite programme is the latest chapter in a career defined by steady growth, innovation, and resilience. Born to Gina Din, one of Kenya’s most respected business leaders, and Retired Captain Chris Kariuki of the Kenya Air Force, Naythan combined strong roots with academic focus to carve his own niche.
He pursued higher education in the United Kingdom, graduating with a degree in Football Studies and Business at Solent University, before advancing to postgraduate studies with an MSc in Leadership and Sports Business at Loughborough University and an MSc in Sports Performance and Analysis at Middlesex University. This mix of business, leadership, and technical expertise gave him the skill set to navigate both the sporting and strategic sides of football.
Din’s career began at home in Kenya in 2016 as a goalkeeper coach at Kariobangi Sharks, an experience that gave him direct exposure to the player development side of the game. From there, he shifted focus to analysis and scouting, joining Eden Sports Group in London, where he was involved in high-level negotiations, including the loan of Arsenal’s Emile Smith Rowe to RB Leipzig.
Determined to broaden his impact, Din co-founded EA Eye in 2021, coordinating an international network of scouts and producing reports that influenced club recruitment strategies globally. His next stop was Oxford United, where, as Performance and Recruitment Analyst, he delivered over 500 detailed player reports and contributed to building the club’s recruitment pipeline.
In 2023, Din took charge of Technical Scouting at AC Horsens in Denmark, where he spearheaded the integration of Artificial Intelligence into scouting processes; a forward-looking approach that positioned him as a trailblazer in data-driven recruitment.
His growing expertise led him to Aston Villa, one of the Premier League’s most ambitious clubs, in 2024. Promoted within a year to Lead Data Scout, he now oversees scouting systems, combining video, live analysis, and advanced data tools to guide Villa’s player recruitment decisions.
What Din's Success Means to Kenya
Din’s rise carries meaning beyond his personal career. For many young Kenyans, it is proof that global opportunities exist not only for players on the pitch but also for those shaping the game from behind the scenes.
By securing a place in the UEFA Elite Scout Programme, Din has entered football’s inner circles, a space where knowledge is exchanged and future trends in talent identification are forged. For Kenya, his success reflects the country’s growing presence in international sport, driven by ambition, expertise, and global exposure.
As Din embarks on this next step, he not only strengthens his own career but also lights a path for others, showing that with determination, academic preparation, and adaptability, Kenyan professionals can shape the global game in profound ways.
