Meet Muriel Fernandes off the ground andshe is like any other girl of her age. Watch her on the football ground whileplaying her favourite sport, and the feminine traits seem to vanish. The 16year old is a Chelsea fan and an admirer of Fernando Torres, and belongs to therare breed of girls in the state who are passionate about football.
Young Muriel had her first encounter withfootball at the age of six. Being born to a family of football fanatics, sheinherited her passion for the sport from her father and brothers. Muriel says,“Since I was brought up along with my two brothers, I was always treated like aboy. My father used to take me along with the boys to play football, making me atomboy.” It was this early training, perhaps, that saw her win her first talukalevel inter school football tournament in the standard five. The passion forthe sport and the thirst for victory only grew with time, and before she knewit, studies started taking a back seat.
Muriel recalls, “In the ninth standard, myteachers complained to my mother and expressed concern over my performance instudies. They felt, if things continued the same way, I wouldn’t be able tocope up with my studies the following year. I had to give up football for threeto four months, and it was a horrible phase for me. However, in my mother’sabsence, I used to do some juggling, in the house, and get back to studies. I knewhad to do at least touch the ball to help retain my sanity.” In the same year,Muriel represented Goa at the Nationals to secure the third place before losingto a strong Jharkhand side.
Apart from trying to compete at theInternational level, a mature Muriel has already chalked out plans for herfuture. She says, “As there are not many provisions for girls to followfootball after the Under-16 level, I want to pursue a career in PhysicalEducation. I will be happy doing anything as long as I do not have to quitsports forever.”
