A star in the making

Xavier Johnson is a nine-year-old boy with big dreams and a passion for soccer.

The youngster from Kensington said he fell in love with soccer at the age of six when he saw some boys playing soccer in Rhodes Park and just loved their team spirit. “It just happened. I just love soccer and would love to play professionally in the future.”

He promptly joined the City Killers U11 team. “I love my team. We teach each other soccer skills and if someone is not playing well, we help them,” he said.

The youngster looks up to Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid and hopes to be as good as him one day. He is also a Mamelodi Sundowns supporter. “They play good soccer and really have good players,” he said.

When asked about being a successful player, he replied, “Hard work and dedication make one a good player. You need to train in order to stay fit and improve on your game.” He added that he trained every day to keep fit.

“Children must be active and get involved in sports, it’s healthier for them and is better than sitting around doing nothing,” was the sage advice from the nine-year-old.

He thanked his grandfather and parents for supporting him and allowing him to do what he loved.

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