Jacynta Galabadaarachchi, the Australian Messi: she loves Maradona and could play for Argentina, but they never called her

“Jacynta started playing because of her brother, who is two years older than her. She was about to watch her games, but one day she was getting bored and it was also very cold because it was winter. So, The coach said to me: ‘Do you want me to play too?’ I told him yes and immediately people couldn’t believe what he was doing with the ball“describes Rosemary Nievas about her daughter’s beginnings in football.

Giacynta Galabadaarachchi He was 5 years old at the time and inherited his passion from his mother, an Argentine of origin who arrived in Australia a few months before his birth. There he met Deepal Galabadaarachchioriginally from Sri Lanka, with whom he settled in Melbourne, in the state of Victoria, and had their two children.

It wasn’t just a simple anecdote. It became a constant that she stood out from the rest of the girls her age and a few months later they invited her to join a team of children under the age of 8. Then, when she turned 10, she was called up to the Victorian Under 13 team.

On the pitch he made such a difference that he preferred to play with the boys, because “they were more suited to my level”, according to the player herself. Clarione. However, by Victorian Federation regulation, this ended when she turned 15.

“I’ve been playing with kids since I started five. It was the one I liked best, but in the state I live in, in Victoria, they don’t allow women to play with men until a certain age. We had a meeting where we told the authorities that it was unacceptable, that this rule didn’t seem correct to us, “recalls Jacynta.

The claim took effect, but he soon began projecting his professional career and devoted himself fully to women’s football.

During her formative phase, at the age of children, she traveled to England to take a test, nothing more and nothing less than Manchester United, and then she was invited to train for eight weeks with their classic rival, Manchester City.

“My aunt lived in England so we went there and everyone was impressed to see me. It was amazing to be in that environment, so professional, so competitive. The other players were of a much higher level than I had faced before. We came back because I was very young, I was nine, but it was something unforgettable, “he says happily.

Are you excited to return to Old Trafford as a pro? “Sure. It would be very nice, but my biggest dream is to play in Barcelona. Ever since I was a girl I have always supported the club for Leo MessiI love watching your games. It’s a long-term goal, not something I’m thinking about right now. Today I’m at Celtic and focus on growing here. “

The link with its Argentine roots

Before joining Celtic in Scotland, the club that signed her in February 2021 and in which she still has one year left on her contract, she had fleeting steps through various clubs in Australia and Europe, including staying at Napoli in the second half. . of 2020.

He was there just when Diego Armando Maradona died, which allowed him to experience first hand the Maradonian madness his mother had told him so much about and to understand the love they feel for the Ten of southern Italy.

When I arrived at Napoli they were delighted to have an Argentine player. It is incredible to see the imprint Maradona left there up close. It is not seen only in the people, who always tell you about him, but in the huge number of his murals that are everywhere. And then everything was amplified with his death: there was about a kilometer with candles, T-shirts, postcards and souvenirs of all kinds outside the stadium “, he says with emotion.

Besides, it was inside melbourne cityhis first club at the age of 16, perth gloryalso in Australia, e West Ham, but now it seems to have found its place in the world in Scotland. They became Premier League Cup champions with the Celtic Y She was called to play for “The Matildas”, the Australian women’s soccer team.

However, despite having already played in the Major League in Australia, he has not yet completed the number of games that would prevent him from playing for another national team, so in Argentina still has time to answer the phone and convince them to change.

“I was born in Australia and have always played here, but my mother and grandmother are Argentinian and very passionate about football. My grandfather was also Argentine, he came many times to see me play and wanted me to play for his country. So, I feel the passion of playing for the Argentine national team. But at the moment I’m not sure. ” concluded.