This year, countless teenagers around the world have turned on their video game consoles and lined up against virtual versions of the stars of the Colombian national team.
This week, Hanson Boakai could get the chance to do it for real.
The 17-year-old FC Edmonton midfielder is training with the Canadian men’s national team for the first time, ahead of Canada’s friendly against Colombia on Tuesday (9:15 pm ET, Sportsnet World, streaming at sportsnet.ca).
And while he’s excited about the prospect of earning his first senior cap, he’s also excited about the chance to watch one of his favourite players – James Rodriguez – in person.
“If I get the chance to see him play, it’s going to make me hungrier, because he’s a person that I look up to,” Boakai told MLSsoccer.com over the phone. “It’ll make me want to try to get to where he is, and try to do what he’s doing.”
Boakai’s favorite club team is Real Madrid – where James currently plays and where Canada’s manager, Benito Floro, used to patrol the sideline. And while Boakai derives inspiration from his favorite players on the field, the youngster has also been drawing encouragement from the well-traveled Spanish gaffer.
“He told me I’m a good player,” said Boakai. “It just makes me want to work harder, because if a guy like him could say that, it means you’re something, and it makes you want to be more and more.”
A dynamic, creative presence on the field, Boakai became the youngest player ever to suit up in NASL last summer when he debuted for the Eddies at just 16. He then proved to be a standout performer for Canada at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup, and earned a month-long training stint at Fortuna Dusseldorf this past January.
“I went [to Germany], I learned a lot and it was really good,” said Boakai. “The coach there, he spoke highly of me, he really liked me.”
The experience further solidified Boakai’s dream of playing professionally in Europe, and he says his agent is currently exploring a number of options. For now, Boakai has become a regular contributor for his hometown club and has his sights set on even greater accomplishments with Canada’s national team.
“I want to play in the Olympics, that’s one of my goals. I want to be a permanent player for the national team,” said Boakai. “Right now I’ve just gotten a call-up, and I want to continue to get called up.”
Whether or not Boakai sees the field on Tuesday against the powerhouse Colombians, he seems to have already gained plenty of experience from working with Floro and Canadian veterans such as Julian de Guzman.
And while the youngster is confident in his own skills, it’s clear that he thrives on making the most of the opportunities he’s given – both by the CanMNT staff and FC Edmonton manager Colin Miller – and pushing himself to new heights.
“I play really good when the coach believes in me,” said Boakai. “It makes me want to make that coach proud, and that’s that I’m trying to do.”
