Player aspires to be the new Shalulile
• By Michael Uugwanga
IT is unusual to hear a young footballer comparing himself to already established international football superstars. However this is not the case for 12-year-old Gerbhard Toivo, who plays for Royal Football Academy, who has given himself the nickname ‘Peter Shalulile’.
Toivo is one of the star players for his side in the Diebangos Hotdogs Back-to-School Youth Football tournament that started on February 18.
The Diebangos Hotdogs Back-to-School tournament is a youth competition for children between the ages of nine and 17.
Toivo scored one of the two goals against his former club Kasaona Football Academy at Bethuel Katjimune Primary School in Herero location, boosting his team.
The win means that Royal Football Academy have booked a place in the semi-finals against V-Power Angels, while Arcadia has a date with Central in another semi-final to be played at Bethuel Primary School.
Toivo started his football career at Kasaona before moving to Royal. He is a grade seven pupil at Tobias Hainyeko Primary School in Katutura and is confident that his team will win the U-13.
Speaking to Confidente, Toivo who scored a goal from a tight angle with his left foot said that his dream is always to score similar goals like that of his idol Shalulile, who is currently playing professional football in South Africa for Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club.
“I like Shalulile because he always scores beautiful goals. I just wanted to score a goal like that of Peter. I think I am just like him and I do play like him.
“The club that I like a lot in Namibia is Black Africa because they just win lots of trophies and my favourite international club is Liverpool because of Mohamed Salah,” said the aspiring top footballer.
He also said that his dream is to play for the Brave Warriors and that he is confident he could fire the Brave Warriors to their first World Cup appearance.
“My dream is to play for the Brave Warriors like Peter. I am sure I can send them to the World Cup.
My parents do support me a lot, especially my mother who at most times is always coming to watch me play.”
Toivo also said that he wants to become a pilot in the near future and his favourite subject in school is Mathematics.
Central Football Academy won the U-9, Kaizen Football Academy won the U-11, while Royal Football Academy won the U-17.
Royal Football Academy is owned by well-known coach Adelino Baptista, who also happens to be the coach of Khomas NamPol football club in the Namibia Football Association (NFA) Women Super League and 11 Champions Football Club in the First Division.