Football fever is gripping the West African state of Senegal, fanned by the sporting prowess of the national side and the lure of fabulous wealth for the successful few who make it.

Unlike education or business, football offers a fast-track route out of grinding poverty and entry into the elite club of Africa's mega-rich.

A host of stars led by Patrick Vieira, the Senegal-born captain of English premier league side Arsenal, have now teamed up with a project to create Africa's first professional football academy.

The founders say the academy will help the continent win its first World Cup within a decade.

"There's such enthusiasm for football in this country that we cannot be satisfied with occasional performances, like when Cameroon made England tremble in 1990 (in the quarter-finals) or Senegal during the 2002 World Cup," said Senegalese businessman Saer Seck.

"Football today has become a means to success and social advancement," said Seck, one of the prime movers behind the $3 million Diambars Institute football academy which opens its doors in October.

"It represents an incredible hope, not just for the player, but for the family, his district or village," he said.

The Senegal game received a huge boost last year when the national side burst on the world stage during the World Cup soccer finals in Japan and South Korea.

The "Lions" defeated reigning world champions France in the tournament's opening game and reached the quarter-finals before losing to Turkey.

"It was brilliant, just fantastic. Beating France is no mean achievement because everyone said they were the best team. It gave a whole generation the desire to play," said Cheikh Daffe, who plays for one of Senegal's top clubs, Diaraf Dakar.

SOCIAL ADVANCEMENT

Midfielder Daffe, who transfers to the Swiss side Neuchatel Xamax later this year, is following a well-worn path to European leagues already taken by African Footballer of the Year El Hadji Diouf and his national team mate Salif Diao.

The striker and stylish midfielder were snapped up by English club side Liverpool shortly before their World Cup heroics. Virtually the entire national side plays in Europe.

"Sport in general has become a social elevator," said Dakar-based political analyst Babacar Justin Ndiaye.

"If you go to the British Embassy you'll get a visa straight away, because you're not just anybody. But if you want to go there to trade, you won't get it. So football has several assets" The success of the Diouf generation has helped change attitudes. Parents who a decade ago firmly believed academic honours alone would guarantee financial security have become eager converts to the unrivalled earning power of sport.

"And then there's the economic crisis," said Diaraf club doctor Babacar Ngom. "(Footballers) have seen their elder brothers with their diplomas fail to find work, so there was no reason to prevent them playing football."

First team players at Diaraf, before bonuses, take home around 150,000-250,000 CFA a month ($260-$430), the income of a senior civil servant or leading hospital doctor, said Ngom.

Players like Diouf can take home anywhere between 20,000 pounds ($32,620) and 50,000 pounds ($81,550) a week, untold wealth compared to Senegal's per capita gross domestic product -- a yardstick of a country's wealth -- of $1,580 a year in 2001.

BOOM OR BUST?

The Diambars Institute promises all of West Africa the infrastructure it needs to cultivate the big names of tomorrow and ensure last year's breakthrough by Senegal is not a one-off.

"Our youngsters will join their national sides at a very early age, so the level of African football will improve and an African country will at last win the World Cup," said Seck.

He reckons Senegal could get to the final in Germany in 2006 and that Diambars graduates could help clinch the crown for Africa within 10 years.

But some senior coaches on the continent warn the institute could also pose a threat to the club game.

German-trained Diaraf coach Lamine Dieng says clubs like his survive on the fees they earn when they sell their best players to European clubs, funds they could miss out on if Diambars creams off all the best players.

"We've sold four players this year so the club won't have any financial problems for two years or so," he said.

"But there's a danger -- if clubs don't get organised and have decent facilities, all the youngsters will go to centres (like Diambars)," he said. 

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