Damiano Pecile will be following his soccer football heroes to Brazil this fall.
The 12-year-old midfielder from Burnaby will represent Canada at the 15th edition of the Danone Nations Cup in November.
The Burnaby Selects under-13 Metro league player is the only player from the district to be named to the Western Canada representative team that defeated Eastern Canada 3-1 in overtime to win the right to wear the maple leaf in Sao Paolo in five months time.
“I feel great. It’s like a dream come true going to Brazil and representing Canada, and playing in front of thousands of fans,” said Pecile.
The St. Helen’s Elementary School student, who will play his final set of games for the Selects at the Provincial A Cup championships at Burnaby Lake Sports Complex-West this week, will continue his soccer with Mountain United FC in the high performance league.
“My job is to assist and score goals,” said the attacking centre midfielder. “I didn’t score (against the East), but I got an assist.”
The Canadian Danone Cup final was played at Montreal’s Saputo Stadium, home of the Major Soccer League’s Montreal Impact.
Both teams exchanged goals early in the contest, including the East’s game-opening goal at just 28 seconds, before playing a chess match the rest of regular time. The West broke the log jam with two goals in extra time.
“When they scored early in the game, my stomach almost dropped. We really had to step it up,” said Pecile, who picked up an assist on the West’s second goal in overtime.
“I think both teams were tired in overtime, but maybe our players were in better condition. (The East) were a good team.”
Now, Canada will look to have its best-ever finish when it takes to the field at the centre of the soccer universe at the world’s largest youth soccer tournament.
Since the competition’s inception in 2000, Canada has finished in the top eight in three previous international Danone Nation’s Cup.
In 2011, Canada had its best-ever finish in Madrid, Spain, placing sixth behind eventual champion Brazil.
The Canadian 11 to 12 champions also placed eighth in 2001 and again in 2007 in France.
Last year, France came out on top, defeating Brazil in the Cup final played at Wembley Stadium in London, England.
Every year, approximately 2.5 million children from 10 to 12 from 32 countries take part in local and regional tryouts.
A lucky few are chosen to represent their region at the national level.
The national Danone final was a highlight for the promising young
Burnaby player.
“Yeah,” he said, “I couldn’t get a smile off my face.”
Thinking ahead to Brazil and the Danone Nation’s Cup competiton from Nov. 11 to 16, Pecile can’t quite get his head around how much more exhilarating playing in the soccer-rich South American locale in the aftermath of the FIFA World Cup will be.
“It will be crazy,” he said. “I can’t wait. I’m so excited.”
To follow Canada on its journey to the Danone Nation’s Cup go to https://www.facebook.com/danonenationscup.
Twitter @ThomasBerridge
