Mumbai FC’s Clyde Fernandes; Fulfilling his brother’s dream while scripting his own

by Kaushal Shukla January 22, 2016

Clyde Cyril Fernandes, a name that is appearing quite frequently on the Mumbai FC team sheet these days, found its way into Khalid Jamil’ starting eleven in Shillong as Mumbai FC kicked off their I-League camnpaign against Shillong Lajong. Having peeped into the scheme of things from the bench last year, Clyde Fernandes finally got to be at the heart of things for a club has seen him rise through their ranks.

Despite having skippered the Mumbai FCU-19 side, making the senior team debut was a special moment in his career according to the twenty year old, who helped his side come back from Shillong with a point and most importantly for Clyde, a clean sheet. “It was a special feeling, a great experience. I did play for the Mumbai FC U-19 side, but the I-League is a completely different experience. Playing with and against all these top class professional players was very different for me. But so far I have loved the experience,” Clyde revealed as he struggled to hide his joy.

Clyde Fernandes is living a dream at the moment, but the young full back divulged during his conversation with Football Counter that while he paints his own future, he is also fulfilling his brother Clayton’s dream. Clayton, Clyde’s elder brother too was a practitioner of the beautiful game. Clayton played as a striker for Thakur College, but had to quit football to work in order to support his family. “My brother supports me a lot. He himself was a football player and played as a striker for Thakur College. But he had to quit the game due to my family’s financial condition. So he always wanted me to become a football player and has been the man behind my success on the football pitch,” Clyde disclosed.

Clyde’s football career too could have been curtailed during his school days. Clyde’s mother wasn’t too keen on Clyde becoming a football player and wanted him to focus on his studies, Clyde revealed and recalled the way his brother Clayton persuaded their parents to allow Clyde to play football. “Initially, during my school days, my mother didn’t want me to become a footballer as she wanted me to study. But my brother Clayton who had given up his football didn’t want the same to happen with me. So he spoke to Mom and slowly persuaded her,” recalled a grateful Clyde, who is already making his family proud.

Clayton is Clyde’s idol for life, he opined and there is little doubt as to why as the dreamland that Clyde finds himself in today is his brother’s gift to him. But at the same time, Clyde is fulfilling Clayton’s football dream and Clayton is living it through him.

The young defender from Mumbai though is ready to showcase the expanse of his wings and achieve greater heights in the sport. Having already played for the Indian U-16 side, Clyde is now eyeing a spot in the senior national team. “I want to perform well for Mumbai FC this season. My focus this season is to give my best for Mumbai FC and see where it takes me. I want to be a part of the ISL, but most importantly I want to play for the senior national team. It’s a great feeling to play for the country. I have experienced it before and I want to do it again,” Clyde exhibited his ambitions with a spark in his eyes. If Clyde is able to don the Indian colors in the future, the feat will be the greatest regard that Clyde can hope to give to all his brother’s endeavors towards Clyde’s growth as a football player.