The joy was maximum as soon as they knew the distribution of the groups. The fry from Gironès-Sàbat and L’Escala they had been framed with the Total Futbol Academy osonenc and the Manchester United in the first phase of the sub-12 A category of the MICFootball tournament, which has been played since last Wednesday in most fields in the Girona region. They quickly noticed the English club where, surprisingly, there is the fill of Cristiano Ronaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo JR, in the staff – also that of Michael Carrick. Controlling emotions was very difficult for the children of the two Girona teams, with a mixture of euphoria and nerves until the day of the match, which, as it could not be otherwise, generated great anticipation between the audience. Of course, when it comes to the truth, all the players took the best of themselves to compete head-to-head against a footballer who since he was a child – he is 11 years old – is destined to succeed.
Everyone “freaked out” when they saw him. Not just for having the son of a football legend close by, but for all the paraphernalia that surrounded him. Escorts, private jet … Cristiano Ronaldo JR lives in a bubble. However, on the pitch he was able to put aside the public figure that is imposed on him for being the son of who he is. His debut in MICFootball was last Wednesday against Gironès Sàbat (5-0) in the municipal field of Torroella de Montgrí. “It was spectacular. It served to give visibility to the club and, apart from playing against Cristiano’s son, we played a good game competing against Manchester United “, explains the coach of Gironès-Sàbat’s youngster, Ivan Delgado.
One way or another, his team was the center of attention. With a lot of people trying to get a place in the field to see Cristiano’s son live. He had to wait, however, to see him in action because he started the game on the bench. When he entered the field of play in the second half, Girona’s legs did not shake, although they conceded a goal in the 23rd minute. The celebration? Following in his father’s footsteps with a career aside and the “Siuuu” of rigor. All his teammates threw themselves on him to hug him. “It was a special day for the kids. The field is full of people, playing against the son of the best player in the world … It was very nice and they will always remember him. I just told them to enjoy and compete from the first minute to the last, “said Delgado.
The same story was repeated the next day in the field of L’Escala. The people of Altemporda also have went ahead on the scoreboard against a whole Manchester United with an early goal by Laia Santos (1-7). “It simply came to our notice then. And everything was, above all, to see Cristiano’s son play “, says the coach of L’Escala’s youngster, David Puig. The example he gives hints at the abnormality of what was experienced: “I was surprised that Barça used to play and there was hardly anyone watching it.” In his team there are a handful of players like Bruno and Nacho Amoedo, the twin brothers of Valery Fernández from Girona, who are declared fans of Cristiano Ronaldo. “At first there were nerves in the locker room and they were very attentive to him, but once inside the field they no longer gave him so much importance,” he confesses. Both L’Escala and Gironès-Sàbat lost and are fighting for the consolation phase, although no one will take away from them the great day they lived. “It’s a lifelong experience. They can always explain it.
