Futsal Begins in Johannesburg, South Africa

Finally the very first official Futsal tournament in Johannesburg is about to take place, with players from all over Johannesburg eagerly anticipating the tournament. Previously the tournaments that were held in Johannesburg were known as Sub-Socca. A name given by the organizing committee as there were some slight amendments to the rules and mainly because Fifa had not sanctioned the event.

Now at long last the organizing committee has got Fifa behind them in hosting the very first tournament in Johannesburg. It will be very interesting to see how quickly the players adjust to abiding by the official Futsal rules and rest assured I will keep all updated on a regular basis.

To begin, I posed some questions to one of the key players in the Mexican Frogz squad, his name is Rui Ferreira.

1. Rui, tell us a little about yourself and where you have been in the Soccer world?

I am 22 years of age and i have been playing soccer since the age of 6. Ever since the age of 6 i have always had a passion for playing soccer. I have made the Provincial squad 3 times in South Africa for outdoor soccer. I have also been selected at the age of 15 to play in a squad that got sent over to Portugal for 5 weeks. I have played many indoor tournaments since the age of 9 and have had the opportunity to represent Portugal at the International Indoor Soccer Tournament. The side was selected from Portuguese players in South Africa.

2. Rui, are you happy to see the organizing committee finally get Fifa behind them to sanction an official Futsal event?

Yes, I am extremely excited and I think it will take the game to a higher level.

3. Do you think it could provide another route for the younger generation to further their soccer careers in South Africa?

Yes, there is a huge amount of potential here in South Africa within the younger ranks. It provides an extra avenue.

4. You previously competed in the Sub-Socca tournaments, how do you think this official Futsal event will compare to the Sub-Socca tournament?

There is a definite comparison as far as the rules, passion and speed of the game. There are just a couple of changes between the two that can be of an advantage or disadvantage.

5. The organizing committee is arranging for teams and individuals to now represent themselves at a provincial level, do you believe this provides and incentive for players that never reached their goals in outdoor?

Yes I believe it does. Futsal takes soccer to a completely different level. Just to name a few: pace/speed of the game; skill and striking ability in pressurizing situations

6. The organizing committee has also arranged for some of South Africa’s top referees to be present at the event, what are your views if any on this?

I agree with the committee arranging for this as it not only create a sense of professionalism on the pitch but also provides opportunities for the respective referees to get recognition.


7. Lastly, how prepared and excited are you to compete in an official Futsal event?

I am very excited the competition is back. I have just recently picked up a groin injury and am hoping to be back on the second week of the tournament. I am not 100% physically fit but I am mentally ready to take on any opponents coming.

Thank You Rui, and Good Luck!

That’s the view from one of the players about to compete in the tournament. All I can say for now is watch this space, I will bring you some of South Africa’s best with interviews, pictures and some small videos of whats happening down in sunny South Africa.

Yours in Sport
Warren Fernandes