His name is Joshua Nascimento and has a name that speaks to football lovers. Aged 25, one of the youngest sons of King Pelé wants to become a physical trainer. To perfect his experience, the young man did an internship in Belgium, and it was on the side of Union Saint-Gilloise, the unexpected leader of the Jupiler Pro League, that he spent an intensive week in mid- March. It still took two days for us to realize his identity!
“They didn’t know who I was, says Joshua Nascimento to our colleagues from The Last Hour and the Future. Then a staff member discovered our family connection. They were a little shocked to learn that I was his son, but in a good way. I am always honored to be able to talk about my father, the player he was and the incredible career he had. »
Joshua Nascimento arrived in the suburbs of Brussels via Chris O’Loughlin, the club’s sporting director. “We have a friend in common, continues one of the seven children of the legend. It was the first time I could see how a club worked from the inside, outside of the United States and Brazil. Every coach or player dreams of going to work or play in Europe. For me, it was an incredible opportunity to immerse myself in European football. Chris opened the doors of the club to me and did everything to make me feel at home. I really felt that I was part of the staff during this week of training. »
Celeste’s twin brother, born of the affair between Pelé and a gospel singer, fell, like the vast majority of Belgium, under the spell of the RUSG: “I knew certain Belgian clubs like Anderlecht or Club Bruges but, to be honest, I had never heard of the Union before my internship. Following the club for a week gave me another perspective of Belgian football. Everyone is living a dream right now at Union and it was great to be able to live part of the dream with them for a short period of time. “In mid-December, he had already visited Olympique Lyonnais.
Union Saint-Gilloise, which represents one of the poorest cities in the Brussels conurbation and which had remained for 48 years in the lower divisions, is guaranteed to finish in first place in the first phase of the Belgian championship, while there is one day left. The promoted will play for the title in the coming weeks in a mini-league with FC Bruges, Royal Antwerp, and Anderlecht.