“My father always dreamed of seeing his son play on television”

Brazil captain and former world’s best player Bruno Xavier speaks about his family, achievements and his early career as a goalkeeper

Today’s BSWW Ambassador needs no introduction. This is your chance to get close and personal with the beach soccer superstar, the man who has won it all, Brazilian captain, Bruno Xavier… 

Former Best Player in the World, and having featured in five World 5 Star Dream Teams, Bruno Xavier wasn’t always the goal-scoring play-maker that beach soccer fans know and love today.

Bruno da Silva Xavier was born August 15th 1984 in Espírito Santo, Brazil, into a family of nine siblings. His story starts on the sand of the Brazilian coast. “I was born and raised on the beach. Literally, the name of my city is Praia (beach) de Carapebus, and here I grew up playing beach soccer.”

Like many beach soccer player, Bruno Xavier’s career began on the football field, where he didn’t play as the outfield player he is famous for today.

“My father always dreamed of seeing his son play on television. He was the coach of a football team where I played as a goalkeeper – yes that’s right – a goalkeeper! I played very well in goal to you know?”

He made his transition onto the sand in 2003, also as a goalkeeper, when his friend Cerezo invited him to play. So, what happened when the Brazil captain first hung up his boots and began to compete in bare feet?

“I was born to score goals on the beach, and I didn’t like being a goalkeeper on the sand because of the irregular surface. I liked doing bicycle kicks. I had skills.”

On the sand Bruno Xavier went from strength to strength, playing for various clubs across the world, until he reached the pinnacle of his career with the Brazilian national team or, as defined by the man himself, “the most magical moment. It was in Bahamas in 2017, when we became world champions.” 

That’s just the tip of an iceberg of achievements that Bruno Xavier has accomplished, the latest one being the Mundialito de Clubes he won with SC Braga just a few eweks ago.

Honours:

COUNTRY

•FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup (1): 2017

•Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup (3): 2014, 2016, 2017

• CONMEBOL qualifiers for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup (2): 2015, 2017

•CONMBEOL Copa América de Beach Soccer (1): 2016

•South American Beach Soccer League (2): 2017, 2018

•North zone regular season event (2): 2017, 2018

•Mundialito (2): 2016, 2017

•South American Beach Games (2): 2011, 2014

CLUB

•Mundialito de Clubes (3): 2011, 2013, 2015, 2019

•Euro Winners Cup (3): 2014, 2015, 2017

•Copa Brasil (3): 2012, 2016, 2018

•Italian Serie A (2): 2011, 2012

•Russian Championships (3): 2013, 2015, 2016

•Portuguese League (2): 2016, 2018

INDIVIDUAL

FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup

•Golden Ball: 2013

•Silver Shoe: 2013

Beach Soccer Stars

•World’s best player: 2014

•World dream team: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018

Intercontinental Cup

•Top scorer: 2014, 2016

•Best player: 2016

CONMEBOL qualifiers

•Top scorer: 2013

CONMEBOL Copa América

•Best player: 2016

South American Beach Games

•Top scorer: 2011

Euro Winners Cup

•Best player: 2014

Serie A:

•Best player: 2010

There are few more decorated beach soccer players than Bruno Xavier, but despite the success, the Brazil captain remains humble, and keen to inspire the next generation.

“I hope that my story can encourage people to never give up on your dream, for we will not always be called to do what we have planned, but we can reach our goal another way.”