Bya Fernandes earns bigger role at Botafogo, eyes Brazil call-up | OneFootball

Football came into Bya Fernandes’s life early. As a child, the Botafogo forward started by playing around with the ball and soon asked to take lessons. Her passion began to take on the shape of a profession as she progressed through the youth ranks, attended tryouts, and looked for new challenges.

At 19, she is enjoying a standout season at youth level after playing for the senior team: “My relationship with football began when I was still a child and used to play around with the ball. Then one day, I asked to take a football class,” she said in an exclusive interview with Agência RTI Esporte.

The forward started out playing with boys and found one of her first opportunities to pursue her dream at Ituano Futsal. From then on, she began seeking tryouts and new challenges, treating every selection as an important step in building her career.

“At every stage, I became more certain that this was what I had dreamed of since childhood and that I wanted to turn football into my profession,” said the player who has been tipped as the biggest breakthrough talent in Rio de Janeiro football in 2026.

Corinthians and Centro Olímpico were decisive

Bya’s journey took her through two important stages of her development: Corinthians and Centro Olímpico. At the São Paulo club, she had an experience she considers essential to her growth. For the first time, she had to live away from home.

“It was my first experience living away from home, and it was a big challenge because I was still very young and missed everything. I learned the importance of daily work and responsibility. I also learned to be patient and to understand that each stage has its own timing,” she said before continuing:

“I began to better understand tactical and technical aspects. It wasn’t just about playing, but understanding what I was doing in certain situations and why certain decisions were made,” explained the black-and-white player.

At Centro Olímpico, she became a more mature player and gained experience in more demanding competitions. The Under-20 team even played in professional tournaments, something that, according to her, helped her better understand the level needed to reach the top.

She also gained confidence and respect within the black-and-white group. “The girls believed in my potential and saw me as a leader within the team, and that contributed a lot to my confidence.”

The injury that changed how she saw her career

Before establishing herself as a professional, Bya Fernandes went through one of the most difficult periods of her journey. An injury kept her off the pitch for three months. “It was a period when I needed to be patient, trust the process, and understand that things happen at the right time,” she recalls.

During her recovery, she began thinking more about her career and the goals she wanted to achieve. “Although it was a difficult moment, it made me mature a lot and prepared me to experience professional football in a different way.”

When she finally reached the professional level, it felt like a dream come true. The routine, however, gave her greater maturity. “You start to realize that all your effort is paying off. Your behavior off the pitch also has an influence and is important for your performance.”

Botafogo opened a new chapter

At Botafogo, Bya Fernandes found room to keep evolving. The forward highlights the trust she received from the club and sees her time with Alvinegro as an important stage in building her career.

“I found a club that gave me opportunities, confidence, and space to keep evolving,” she said.

This season has reinforced that progress. Bya Fernandes has been the Under-20 team’s main attacking reference, with 12 goals in 18 matches, and has also already had experience with Botafogo’s senior team, making three appearances and totaling 75 minutes.

More than the numbers, she wants to make the most of this moment to keep growing. “I want to keep improving individually, help the team on the pitch, and win important titles with Botafogo.”

The national team is the big dream

Although she has already gone through important stages in her development, Bya still holds on to one goal that has remained unchanged since childhood: wearing the Brazil national team shirt. The forward makes a point of clarifying that she has not yet had that experience, but she does not hide how significant it would be for her career.

“It’s a dream I’ve had since I was little and one I still really want to achieve. Representing Brazil would be a huge accomplishment for me. I want to become an increasingly complete, decisive, and brave player, without losing my characteristics and always trying to help my team in the best way possible,” she said.

At 19, Bya Fernandes knows she still has a lot to learn. And perhaps it is precisely that awareness that best defines this moment in the forward’s career. “I know I still have a lot to improve. Football is constantly growing, and with that, the level keeps getting higher and higher.”

The girl who one day asked to take a football class has already achieved part of what she once imagined. But she has no intention of stopping there. “The Bya of today has already achieved things that the Bya of a few years ago dreamed of achieving. But I still want to achieve much, much more,” she concluded.

*André Freixo, special correspondent for Agência RTI Esporte, reporting directly from Portugal

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.