Smiling Samba Star Determined to Lead Kitchee back

Kitchee’s very own Brazilian forward Fernando Pedreira possess a rare ability amongst football players, as sitting down for a chat with the adorable footballer will likely inject some welcoming passion and zest into one’s ordinary day. Completely drenched in sweat after a gruelling training session, the likeable Kitchee midfielder flashed out a great smile while sitting on the sidelines in Kitchee’s training ground, trying to recall how his love-affair with the Beautiful Game started. “I just love football ever since I could remember. I know it is a job for me now but I still look at it as a game that I have always loved,” Pedreira explained. “I love playing football, I love coming to training and I also love watching the game. I just cannot explain it to you. The best way that I can describe to you is that I did not choose football at all when I was a kid, it was football that chose me.” As a youngster growing up in Brazil, Pedreira was no different to the others and shared the common dream of making it as a professional footballer. However, competition was fierce to say the very least and the humble Pedreira credited his family for all the support that they gave them as a young aspiring footballer. “A lot of young children back home carry enormous pressure from their parents because the latter see their kids as someone who can potential change the family’s fortunes through a football career. I am very glad that my parents never put that kind of pressure on me,” said the entertaining Samba star. “My folks have always been very hard working people and they always try their best to provide for our family. My mother, a local policewoman, really instilled a strong work ethic into me. She was always working very hard and the image of her working tirelessly day after day just made me want to work harder in life.” The combination of superb work rate on the pitch and mesmerizing ball-skills have earned Pedreira cheers and adulations throughout his three years in Hong Kong. The Brazilian opened up to Kitchee fans and shared his method of developing such electrifying Samba skills. “I played eight years of futsal in Brazil and it was definitely a very important part of my football education. From ball-skills to passing, moving quickly and dribbling in a tight-area, the game of futsal really made me grow as a footballer. It greatly enhances players’ agility like no other training could,” Pedreira suggested. Besides the game of futsal, Pedreira was also full of appreciation to wife Thais, for being a pillar of strength in his soaring football career. “Thais is very important to me and has helped me so much in my life. I am not someone who likes to be alone and she is always there to keep me company. We have been together as an item since I was sixteen. There were three years that we were separated, as I was too consumed with my own football career. But I realized I really needed her in my life, I am glad we are now married and she is here living in Hong Kong with me,” Pedreira revealed. A desire to win trophies has brought Pedreira to the Kitchee family this season and after some eye-catching performances on the pitch, the personable Brazilian is slowly growing stature in the Kitchee faithfuls’ hearts. Pedreira spoke about his desire to repay the fans’ support despite the team starting the season rather slowly. “This is how football goes sometimes. Last year, the club was winning pretty much everything. This year, teams are more fired up when they play us, developing special tactics to try to stop us and being totally concentrated on our play,” pointed out the Kitchee attacker. “However, that is okay. We just need to keep trying and grinding. Now that we have a chance to win some silverware (Note: Kitchee has advanced to the League Cup final and is still within striking distance to premier league leader Eastern in the title-chase), let us just work hard and see where our hard work and sweat will lead us to.”