Bernardo Pacheco: “The formation in Portugal is as we see it: if you’re not a Ronaldo at seven, you won’t go to a big one”
He is 19 years old, participated directly in 30 junior goals at the service of Pedras Rubras, studied in Communication Sciences at FLUP and now leaves for the USA to represent the Louisiana State University of Shreverport team. Bernardo Pacheco is the first guest of this season of the Fourth Referee.
In this start of the new season of Fourth Referee, Bernardo in our studio Pache the footballer. The young player, who attended the Communication Sciences course at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Porto [que o JPN integra]set off on an adventure to play professionally for the team at Louisiana State University of Shreverport in the United States, after an incredible service from the juniors Rubras when they were in America Pedras 14 goals and 16 assists in 35 games.
In a relaxed interview, held before leaving for the USA, Bernardo Pacheco talked about the difficulties of moving to another country and the expectations about the new life in the new continent. With eyes on the future, the player did not forget the past and left criticisms about youth football in Portugal.
“The formation of clubs in Portugal is how we players often see it. If he’s not a Ronaldo at seven, he’s not going to be a big one. This is very bad. I think that the Portuguese formation sins a lot in this. We are becoming: ‘the boy with the best contact wins.’ I’ve seen incredible ones, that looked and thought ‘what a talent’ and I haven’t had the slightest bit of luck that I have. Because, there it is, he didn’t have the contact or that help and that made me open my eyes about a lot of what Portuguese football is”.
He now leaves for the United States with the dream of becoming a professional and, he confessed, he is not afraid of this leap: “People asked: are you not afraid to leave Portugal? No, I don’t. From the moment you want what you want, you will look for everything and the people who appear on this walk are passage. You are a main character in your story. When it’s time to look for success and what defines us, we have to sacrifice.”
In this episode of the Fourth Referee we can also hear the rubric “Scout” in which Tomás de Almeida Moreira speaks about Martim Tavaresthe 18-year-old prodigy who has already made his debut for Boavista’s senior team.
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