Every afternoon after school, the streets of Gobabis become a training ground for young footballers hoping to play on big soccer fields nationally and around the world.
With no soccer kit or coach, about 30 teenage boys kick the ball and call each other ‘Mbappé’, ‘Salah’ and ‘Messi’.
Football is a dream Stevanus Goreseb (16) hopes to turn into a professional career. He says one of Argentina’s greatest players, Lionel Messi, has inspired this dream.
“I want to be a soccer player in the future. I want to be like Messi,” he says.
Like many young dreamers, Goreseb believes the sport can open doors and take him beyond Gobabis and Namibia.
For Erwin Swartbooi (16), football is about enjoyment, competition and the excitement that comes with winning.
“I play soccer because it is nice. I enjoy it. The winning team gets money that was contributed by both teams,” he says.
Swartbooi looks up to Manchester City’s striker Erling Haaland’s “forward style of playing”.
“He plays better. I want to be a soccer player one day and play like him,” he says.
The boys say they used to go to the community field where older and middle-aged men play soccer. Desmond Motlhaping (18) says he watches soccer at home and does not miss a single match.
Motlhaping is inspired by French star Kylian Mbappé, whom he says he admires for his speed and strong kicks.
To him, football is not just entertainment, but exercise.
“I hope to play for big teams one day,” he says.
Dawid Swartbooi (16), who goes by the nickname ‘Salah’, says he admires Egyptian football star Mohamed Salah because of his speed.
Football is also about opportunities and earning income, he says.
“I want to get money and be rich like international soccer players in the future,” he says.
He says he has won 26 community football games already.
“Every match on the streets is a chance for me to improve, compete and move one step closer to my football dreams,” he says.
The young players say not being able to play on a proper football field does not bother them, because they want to first become good players before they are exposed to the world.
