Internet Desk: Chile U17 team’s last line of defence, Julio Borquez is looking forward to carry his form of the South American U-17 Championship when his side will play their first match of FIFA U-17 World Cup in Kolkata.
He was adjudged as the best goalie in the South American Championship earlier in March. Borquez didn’t concede a single goal in back to back four matches which helped his side to secure a place in FIFA U17 World Cup for the first time since 1997.
“I’m striving to give my best and carry forward the momentum. It’s really a big competition, all teams are tough, you need to prepare really hard,” Borquez told reporters after their practice.
“Those clean sheets are not just down to me. It’s a group achievement and dependent on everyone doing their job. I did mine and my teammates did theirs.”
He is happy to play an inspirational role among his teammates.
“We all are good friends in the team, each one of us knows their responsibility well. They look up to me for inspiration, and seek advice. I’m happy to help them out.”
Asked about his aspiration to represent the senior side, he said: “You obviously want to play for the senior side, it’s a big motivation. But at the moment my focus is on the upcoming FIFA U-17 World Cup.”
The teenager picked Manuel Neuer, Claudio Bravo and Thibaut Courtois as his three role models.
“Perhaps I identify a bit more with the first two because of the way they can play with the ball at their feet,” he said about the German and the Chilean shot stoppers.
“Neuer is something of an exemplar for the future of goalkeeping.”
Before coming to India, Chile went for a special screening of super hit Shah Rukh Khan movie Chak De! India.
“It’s really a great inspirational movie, I loved it,” he said about the movie that tells the story of how a group of women hockey players emerge World Cup winners conquering all odds.
Chile will face England in their first match on October 8. The match will start at 5pm at the Salt Lake Stadium. Mexico and Iraq are the other teams who are along with England and Chile in Group F.