This dream existed since their childhood, thanks to the inspiration from people who are close to them.
All #GarudaSelect players have a dream to become professional players. This dream existed since their childhood, thanks to the inspiration from people who are close to them.
"I was inspired by my father, Muhammad Amin. Around the 1980s, he played for PSMS Medan Junior as a right-back. He inspired me to become a professional football player," said the midfielder, Ridho Syuhada Putra. "Since one-year-old, I was raised by my adopted parents since my biological father had died and my mother worked. As a child because my mother worked and my biological father died, since one-year-old I was raised by my foster parents. My foster father liked to play football and he inspired me to like play football and asked me to join SSB," said GarudaSelect forward, Wahyu Agung Drajat.
According to Noval Junior Iskandar, the Garuda Select midfielder, his father also inspired him to become a footballer. "As a child my father liked to shake my left foot so I could kick with my left foot like him. When I was five years old, my father used to take me to watch a football match. That’s why since my childhood, I have been dreaming to become a professional player," added Noval.
Defender Muhammad Faqih Maulana also wants to continue his father's dream that did not come true. Joining #GarudaSelect is one of the steps to reach that dream. "My father used to be an inter-village football player. Father told me he could not afford shoes so he borrowed shoes from a friend when he wanted to play football. Due to limited funds, my father had to stop playing football," said Faqih. "Hearing that story, I really want to realize my father's dream that could not be achieved by him. I want to make my parents happy, smile and proud by becoming a professional football player. Parents are the most important people in my life. They were willing to sacrifice and leave their work just to take me to SSB, "said Faqih.
Their struggle in the #GarudaSelect Program is not only to make their own dreams come true, but these players want to give their parents something to be proud of. The #GarudaSelect program is an important step for players to develop even further. Getting a world-class coaching team and training facilities is one step closer to reaching out the dream of becoming a professional player.