PANAJI
With age comes maturity, and that holds true for Anaida Dias. The young footballer from Cuncolim has been making waves in the ongoing Inter-Collegiate Women’s Football Tournament of Goa University.
On Wednesday, she single-handedly scored all four goals for Kare Law College, Margao, in their 4–0 victory over Shree Mallikarjun and Shri Chetan Manju Desai College, Canacona. Anaida found the net in the 4th, 11th, 21st, and 51st minutes, earning her the Best Performer award for the match.
Anaida’s football journey began 12 years ago as a trainee at the Cuncolim center of the Goa Football Development Council (GFDC), under the technical guidance of Raimundo D’Souza. She believes her family played a key role in encouraging her to take up sports.
Her early steps into football were taken in the paddy fields of Sanvorcotto, Cuncolim, where she played with her cousin brothers and her own brother.
“I started playing football with my cousins Trevon, Trenoy, and Trijoy, and my brother. That’s where my journey in football began,” said the final-year student of Kare Law College.
“I am proud of whatever Trijoy (Churchill Brothers striker) and Trevon (Pune Club) have achieved on the football field,” she added.
“My father, Eusebio, has been my inspiration to play football—he played for Cuncolim Union,” said the aspiring lawyer, who idolizes Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo.
Just like her cousin sisters, Adlene Velanky Dias and Shaundelle Shameika Gomes, who recently represented Goa at the Junior National Hockey Championship, Anaida too has represented Goa in hockey, at the Sub-Junior Championship, when she was a Grade 8 student at Maria Bambina High School, Cuncolim.
Anaida has also dabbled in athletics. Long-distance running has been her forte, in addition to shot put, and she has won several accolades. She has represented Mount Mary's Higher Secondary School, Chinchinim, Cuncolim Educational Society, and GR Kare College of Law in Kho-Kho and Kabaddi.
“Anaida is a naturally skilled footballer with a sharp sense of possession and the ability to swiftly reach the ball and attempt a goal. She shows excellent awareness on the field, particularly in switching possession and creating opportunities to strike at goal,” said Manoj Hede, Director of Physical Education at GR Kare College of Law.
“She is a disciplined and focused player who manages to balance her demanding professional course with equal dedication to sports,” he added.
As of now, Anaida has not played for any clubs in the Goa Football Association (GFA) but is ready to take up the challenge.
“A few years ago, a Navelim club had approached me to play in the GFA Women’s League, but I couldn’t take up the offer due to my studies,” she said.
