ATTAINING SUCCESS: ONE GOAL AT A TIME

Building up a promising football career in Spain, Ismail Zaan (19) gives KALEO a narration of the start and buildup of his life in football several thousand miles away from home.

Words by Laifa

Could you tell us how your journey started? 

I would say that it is in the bloodline, when I was about three, my uncles (Boduheena and Kudaheena) used to take me to the ground when they play, at the time I would only tag along with him only to watch and wasn’t into playing but soon grew fond of it. Even though my actual direct link into it might have been through the start of Early Touch football academy in 2004 by my uncle.

How did you get directed towards international football?

It started with inter school football tournaments which led to the national team, I was included in the top five several times but since at the time the chances are slim in achieving a favorable football career in Maldives and at age 13 I moved to Manchester. I worked in Manchester for 4 years which gave way to admirable chances like getting to work with the current assistant coach of Manchester Michael Carrick, which gave way to go further.

Who is that one player you would take as a role model?

Ever since I was a kid, I have always admired Juan Mata and his style which also contributed to choosing Spain as my second step, but after I started playing in Spain I have come to esteem Sergi Roberto and his way of playing too.

How would you describe your adaptation into international football?

To me adapting to playing in a different climate was the hardest, than playing itself. The hot weather here made it difficult for a sudden change into the winter in Manchester.

What would you say has been your biggest learning experience so far?

Every chance to play against the big and well trained teams is a chance to get a new experience, but playing against a number of accomplished players specified even in Atletico Madrid and winning the Mediterranean International competition as the captain of the team will be the experience that tops all of it so far.

A casual Training Day Timeline:

A normal training day for Zaan starts bright and early at 07:30 in the morning when he wakes up and gets ready for the day. This will be followed by travelling to training which starts at 09:30 which will last until 11:00. Immediately after this he runs to his classes which finish at 14:00 in the afternoon. After the hours of hustling he then takes a moment to lunch and rest to get him ready for next in line, gym; Zaan spends an hour at the gym starting from 16:30. He then gets to the club trainings which take up his time until 22:00. Soon after this he heads back home to get enough rest to get him going strong the next day.

What is your view on the future of Maldivian football?

The Maldivian football faced a lot of challenges such as politics that caused its success to diminish. There are a lot of players in Maldives with the potential to reach higher, and recently we have been seeing some good signs, for example the younger national teams getting to play against more skilled teams abroad is certainly giving them better experience which will lead them to perform better for the team, that could be an achievement in the near future.

What exactly is #AAJEELAKAH?

Aajeelakah is a project that focuses on teaching Sports Psychology in Football for the younger players in the hope of bringing forward professional players who understand the tactics, rather than the traditional way of just making them practice physically. We started with 12 players at the beginning of  this lockdown with the help of Spanish coaches, and are glad to say that we are currently teaching 30 students online some of them who are currently the players of the under 13 Maldivian national team.

Aajeelakah helps the young generation of Maldives to successfully adapt to changes with a champions mindset.

Would we see you as a sport psychologist or a coach in the future?

I might coach for the younger teams so yes; chances are that I will be seen as a player coach rather than a psychologist.

What is your advice to the younger players?

Mainly to do it with love and passion, to remember that it should not be taken as an easy sport and to be willing to compromise when necessary and to be dedicated and committed through the journey, however it maybe.

Parents build the foundation of a child’s success story. The endless support and ecouragement of Zaan’s parents is the secret of his ultimate success and his drive to become a better version of himself everyday. Zaan is an inspiration especially for the individuals who dream of pursuing a career in sports or anyone who aspires to reach higher with their dreams; in fact, opportunities are everywhere you just need to have the will to go look for it.