PANJIM: Arnold Oliveira started attempting to kick the ball at the age of two and once he started liking the game that there was no looking back for him. He started learning the finer aspects of the game when he was 8 years old and joined the GFDC Paroda Centre for training. He won the title of being the Best Player in the Third Edition of GFDC Rising Stars Football Festival.
“I started playing football five years ago and love the game very much. I enjoy being at the academy and playing football every day. We train every morning for 45 minutes and in the evening for one and a half hour,” stated the left footed striker.
He does justice to his position as a striker by creating as well as scoring goals. The 13 year old is confident and aggressive when on field and is hungry for goals. He is at the GFDC residential academy for the last one year under the guidance of Head Coach, Robert Fernandes.
“His main strengths are his speed, sharpness and mobility. He also has a positive mentality towards the game. Arnold is really very good when it comes to skill and technique. He does not allow his height to be a hindrance,” Robert added.
Arnold is a student of Holy Spirit Institute, Margao and was part of the team that emerged winners in the boy’s U-14 state Subroto Mukerjee Inter-School football tournament, organised by Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs (DSYA) for the last two consecutive years. This year he scored a total of five hat-tricks during the entire tournament.
