Pure joy: Sofia returns to scene of her first national title | OneFootball

The stadium at the Centro de Alto Rendimento de Futebol Feminino (CARFEM) in Ypané holds a special chapter in the career of defender Sofia. It was there, at the very same place where the Brazilian National Team is currently based, that the defender won her first South American title wearing the Amarelinha jersey. With the U-17 team, she not only lifted the trophy but also left her mark: she sealed the 5-1 rout against Paraguay that secured the continental trophy.

Now, competing in the South American Championship for the second time in her career, this time with the U-20 National Team, Sofia returns to the same environment that helped shape her identity in the National Team. More mature, she carries the memories of a campaign that marked a turning point in her career as an athlete. "The U-17 South American was my first important competition with the national team, and it was incredible. We won, there was a really good energy among the players too. I think I didn’t have as much experience as some of the others, but at the same time I grew along with them, because it was a new squad. It was amazing," she recalled in an interview with CBFTV.

Sofia during the match against Paraguay in the first game of the final stage of the U-20 South American ChampionshipCredits: Staff Images / CBF

The CARFEM Stadium was not just the setting for the title. It was also where Sofia scored her first goal for the National Team. Against Paraguay, in front of a loud opposing crowd, she netted the last goal of the championship campaign. "My first goal with the national team was here at CARFEM, against Paraguay. It was an incredible feeling. There were Paraguayan fans here, drums beating, I scored the last goal, the title-winning goal. I was very happy to have fulfilled that dream with the national team, especially in a tournament of that size," she said.

The victory was followed by the U-17 World Cup, an experience that brought new challenges and lessons. Eliminated in the early stage, Brazil did not achieve the expected goal, but it was essential for the athlete’s development. "It was very challenging. I think I grew even more there, you know? It was a turning point for me. I think we learn from defeat. We closed that cycle that way, with many lessons learned," she stated.

Sofia during the match against Peru in the U-20 South American Championship in ParaguayCredits: Staff Images / CBF

From Grajaú to Flamengo: the beginning alongside her brother

Born in the Grajaú neighborhood, in the North Zone of Rio de Janeiro, Sofia started playing football as a child, directly influenced by her twin brother. The bond between the two was the starting point for a journey that would lead her to the Brazilian National Team. "I started when I was about six, following my brother. He went to play football and I went to ballet. Then I said: mom, I want to go too. That’s when I started with him," she recounted.

Sofia began at the Grajaú Tênis Clube soccer school, where she stayed until she was 11. She later stepped away due to a lack of opportunities for girls at the time. Even so, football never left her routine. "From 11 to about 13 or 14, I would go to the club every day with my brother to play ball. It was just me and him after school."

Sofia during a training session with the Brazil U-20 National Team in Ypané, ParaguayCredits: Staff Images / CBF

At 15, she decided to fully pursue her dream. Her mother found a tryout at Flamengo, and Sofia seized the opportunity. "I did the tryout, passed at Flamengo, and was first monitored from 2022 until the beginning of 2023. Then I moved up to the U-17 at 15. And I’m still at Flamengo today," she celebrated.

"Everyone says it was a very fast progression. When I played in 2023 at Flamengo, I didn’t even know how to control the ball properly on the field. I had a lot of futsal habits. Then I started to learn, I learned to play as a defender because I was tall and fast," she added.

Sofia’s first call-up was for the Algarve Tournament in Portugal. One of the most memorable moments in her journey. "The list came out, I was at home. When I saw it, I started crying. My mother cried, my brother cried, my cousin cried. It was unforgettable," she recalled.

Family as the foundation of her journey

Family support was decisive at every stage. Her father, a passionate Flamengo fan, was the one who introduced her to football by taking her to stadiums. Her mother and grandmother took on the role of logistical and emotional support, accompanying her to practices and trips. Her brother, a water polo athlete at Flamengo, remains one of her biggest supporters.

"I have a wonderful family core. For my mother, it’s very easy. For my grandmother, it’s harder to understand that I train every day, travel, but from the beginning she took me to practices. My father moved far away but keeps up and wants to know everything. And my brother is a ‘doting’ one. Whenever he can, he watches my games and I watch his," she said.

Nayara, Sofia, and Elu during the National Anthem before a match in the U-20 South American Championship in ParaguayCredits: Staff Images / CBF

U-20 South American Championship

Back at the South American Championship, Sofia is now experiencing a new moment. More experienced, she observes the team’s growth throughout the competition and faces the challenge with confidence. "We talk a lot as a group about being on an upward trajectory. I think we learned what we needed to in the first phase, and now every game is a final," she said.

The campaign so far has brought obstacles, from intense heat to traditional rivals like Argentina. All of it, according to her, served as a lesson. "It was a tough phase to understand the climate, the refereeing, the other teams. But I think now it’s about going all out with everything we have," she explained.

Brazil faces Colombia at 8 p.m. (Brasília time) next Thursday (19th), for the second round of the final stage of the U-20 Women’s South American Championship, at Estádio Luis Alfonso Giagni, in the Paraguayan city of Villa Elisa. Even with the pressure of the decisive stages, for Sofia, the prevailing feeling is the best possible. "There’s a bit more nervousness, but at the same time there’s a lot of motivation. We’ve already experienced what we needed to, we’ve already won, we’ve already lost. Now it’s more motivation than anything else," she concluded.

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