NATIONAL Under-15 footballers, Isaiah “Messi” Thompson, Molik Khan and Ja-Shawn Thomas have been selected by Canadian/Swedish sports management corporation – Lank Football Group – to join an all-star team which will participate in the 2019 Golden Cup in Barcelona, Spain.
The talented trio arrive in Catalonia on Monday and will undergo a series of intense training, rehabilitation and tactical sessions over the following three days. The tournament kicks off on November 1 and will feature some of the globe’s best young footballers vying for top honours.
Both “Messi” and Khan currently represent defending Secondary Schools Football League champions, Naparima College, and also compete domestically with Point Fortin Civic Centre and W Connection respectively. Thomas attends Holy Cross College. The trio was selected following two days of screening sessions held in Trincity last month.
Lank Football Group is a football management group providing athletes with access to international football opportunities. Lank is currently becoming an industry leader in identifying talented youth players, finding opportunities for them to showcase their talent and ultimately allocating placements for youth players in European professional clubs.
It is in this regard that “Messi” is cherishing such a golden chance to perform well and hopefully catch the eye of an international scout.
“This is a unique opportunity that has presented itself to me and my national teammates,” said the Point Fortin resident. “We intend to play with a focused mentality and to the best of our abilities. Let’s hope we can capture the attention of some of the clubs present there. I have to give it my best shot.”
Upon learning of Thompson’s special selection, Point Fortin mayor Abdon Mason, hosted a small recognition ceremony. Mason also presented “Messi” with a financial donation to help offset his costs en route to Spain.
He added, “I really appreciated the gesture from the mayor of the borough and his board members. Mr Mason believes that I am doing something positive for my community and I can assure that he is investing in the future of our nation with his involvement. ”
“Messi” is also excited to visit the Catalan City since he is also an avid Barcelona Football Club fan. While the trio is expected to have a packed itinerary over the week, “Messi” is hoping he can experience the different cultures and lifestyles in Europe while gaining expert training on the beautiful game.