Fresh from the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Paraguay, the Mexican captain discusses his jounrey through beach soccer
For Mexican captain Angel David Rodriguez, football is life. Since making the switch to sand from professional football, he has been to four FIFA Beach Soccer World Cups, the last being a matter of months ago in Paraguay.
The two-time Concacaf champion recalls his transition from grass to sand…
“I started playing 11-aside football and I was a professional player with two teams, the Cruz Azul where I came through the academy and also in the Atlantean.
At the moment I play in several teams in various football modalities. Mainly 11 or 7-aside, and in Spain with Bala Azul beach soccer club.”
This stint in Spain, where Bala Azul finished second, gave the defender an unusual title among his countrymen, becoming the first and only Mexican to play in one of Europe’s beach soccer leagues.
When the opportunity to represent his country on the sand came up he just couldn’t turn it down.
“The physio of the Mexican beach soccer team invited me to train with the squad. I had played on sand previously and it seemed like a good opportunity to see if I liked it.
The first time I played it was very complicated, extremely tiring, it is not easy to play beach soccer but I really liked it. It is a type of football that really hooks you, it is spectacular and all the time you are participating either attacking or defending, you cannot switch off for a single second.
In my first participation we were champions in a tournament in Chile, and since then I’ve been in love with the sport and eager to continue improving and learning.”
Angel’s will to always learn more and develop on a personal and professional level is clear, as not only is he a father and a professional athlete, but he is also studying.
“I am currently finishing my degree in Sports Science, at La Salle Nezahualcoyotl University. I have definitely grown so much in this sport. I have evolved as a player and as I have always said, even more as a person.
I have travelled the world, I have competed at the highest level and against the best players on the planet. That makes you improve day by day and then you can transmit what you learn to the people around you, like my family.
Without a doubt beach soccer has given me everything and opened doors to many places that I never thought I would get to.”
When it comes to influences on his life and career, the Mexican finds it understandably difficult to put his finger on just one…
“It would be unfair to mention only a few because there are so many people who have been with me since the beginning.
But I can give a special mention to each and every one of the members of my family, to my coaches, to all the people in the national team that help me and to all those friends who always give good vibes in everything that I do.”
Many of us have defining moments in our careers and athletes are no different. Angel has one event especially clear on his journey through beach soccer.
“I have many special memories but the moment I remember with the most affection is without a doubt my first FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, in Ravenna, Italy in 2011.
My World Cup debut came against Japan. Becoming a World Cup player is unforgettable. I remember they were beating us 1-0 and dominated the game.
But then I stole the ball back turned to face the goalkeeper, who fouled me to give away a penalty. I scored to make it 1-1 and eventually the match ended 3-2 in our favour.
Without a shadow of a doubt, that game and that World Cup is the pivotal moment in my beach soccer career which has been ten years full of happiness in this sport.
It’s fair to say that I have given everything to stay on this path.”
Honours
4 x FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup participations
2 x Concacaf champion
First and only Mexican to have played in a European beach soccer league
Runner-up of the Spanish league
