8 year old Goan boy Jayden seen practicing at Barcelona
Rarely I heard a Goan making a mark for himself and his community in the West in the sports especially in soccer when soccer is in the blood of Goans even though innumerable Goans are born, brought-up and settled down in the West. However, in the academic field Goans have shown very good results. But why not in sports when this field is of great love for Goans and when there are so many facilities at their disposal in the West. In UK, Germany and Portugal there are innumerable Goans born and brought up there only and yet there seemed to be no interest shown in soccer in these countries by any Goan. Even during the colonial days in Goa, not a single footballer neither a promising nor a fully developed Goan was recruited to Portugal to play for the Portuguese teams when the two greatest negro footballers of Portugal namely Eusebio and Coluna from Portuguese African colony Mocambique donned the colours of Portugal. Morevoer, Coluna was appointed as skipper of Portuguese National team in the World Cup tournament held in England in 1966 where the great Black Panther Eusebio was declared as the highest scorer of the tournament.
Jayden is seen with superstar Neymar & a female coach
Now, according to my latest information, Goans like me should be happy to know that one 8 year Goan boy in the USA is fulfilling the ambitions of Goans by climbing the ladder of soccer in the USA and in Spain at Barcelona Club. It looks to me that this Goan boy is “in the making of Goan Lionel MESSI”, let us all soccer loving Goans spread all over the World pray to God to help this boy to come up to that highest level and turn not only into another Messi but better than Messi. With the encouragement of his parents, both mother Vailia Fernandes and father Jerome Fernandes presently settled down in the USA at Cincinnati, Ohio, their 8 year old son Jayden R. Fernandes I am sure will surely reach to the pedestal of soccer either in the USA or at Barcelona or anywhere in the Western Europe. The youngster Jayden is the grandson of well –known Goan personality Remedios and Suzana Fernandes both from Calangute and currently in the UAE at Dubai. Remedios is a well-known Stage artiste popularly known as Remy or Young Fernandes who was my colleague at St. Xavier’s College Mapusa and a great lover of soccer and admirer of my sporting prowess
Jayden seen with Barcelona star Rafinha(Brazilian)
Now, according to my latest information, Goans like me should be happy to know that one 8 year Goan boy in the USA is fulfilling the ambitions of Goans by climbing the ladder of soccer in the USA and in Spain at Barcelona Club. It looks to me that this Goan boy is “in the making of Goan Lionel MESSI”, let us all soccer loving Goans spread all over the World pray to God to help this boy to come up to that highest level and turn not only into another Messi but better than Messi. With the encouragement of his parents, both mother Vailia Fernandes and father Jerome Fernandes presently settled down in the USA at Cincinnati, Ohio, their 8 year old son Jayden R. Fernandes I am sure will surely reach to the pedestal of soccer either in the USA or at Barcelona or anywhere in the Western Europe. The youngster Jayden is the grandson of well –known Goan personality Remedios and Suzana Fernandes both from Calangute and currently in the UAE at Dubai. Remedios is a well-known Stage artiste popularly known as Remy or Young Fernandes who was my colleague at St. Xavier’s College Mapusa and a great lover of soccer and admirer of my sporting prowess.
Jeyden seen with his parents
Young Jayden is currently living in the USA at Cincinnati – Ohio and is a 3rd Grade student St. Margaret of York School.
This was truly a remarkable and unique experience for an 8 year old boy. He enjoyed every minute of it and got to meet some famous players in the process. Even more amazing was that Jayden was selected for the All-Star Team for a second consecutive year in 2017, and recently returned from Barcelona in September where he played more games and trained at the next level.
He was also selected to train at the Manchester City FC Academy in Manchester, UK but he will be unable to participate this year due to conflicts with his school schedule.
A.Veronica Fernandes.