A young futsal team is playing just like the player its named after in the under 10s Futsal Riverina competition.
Messi 10s sit atop the under 10s ladder this season – their first playing futsal together – after an impressive year.
The side’s biggest win was by a mammoth 28 goals and coach Steven Fattore said the boys are still improving.
“They were all keen to form a team so we thought we’d give it a go and it [the kids’ improvement] is huge,” he said.
“The vision, the speed, their accuracy and quickness on the ball and passing, there’s a reason why the Brazilians, they just play futsal up until, I think, they’re teenagers.”
It hasn’t just been the team – who most of play with Griffith City in the local soccer competition – that has had to learn quickly.
Fattore is also new to the sport and had his reservations early on.
“To play this year I was a little bit sceptical, most of these guys were in the SAP team which goes from January to October, so it’s a long season and then the Griffith City stuff on top,” he said.
“I said to my young bloke ‘let’s give it a rest’ but they all wanted to play and I’m glad they did because it’s fantastic.
“It’s fun, it’s fast, it’s exciting and the boys just love getting out there and kicking it around.”
The boys said their biggest rival this year was Griffith Auto Air with the two teams sharing some tight tussles throughout the year.
The boys all agreed they loved the pace of futsal and just how fun it is out on the pitch.
However, they also enjoyed how everyone gets a fair chunk of the ball.
“Futsal is also fun because everyone has a touch of the ball,” Pearson Kasawaya said.
“It’s not like in outdoor where just the attackers are always scoring.
“Sometimes the defenders can [score] and maybe even the goalie.”
MESSI 10S TEAM: Ryland Dunn, Jai Menegazzo, Pearson Kasawaya, Xavier Peihopa-Smith, Jake Fattore, Bailey Morrissey, Sebastian Schmetzer, Aaron Dawson and Curtis Pendlebury.
