Jeferson da Conceicao Goncalves

Started: He took up the sport at age 10 in Candeias, Brazil. (IBSA, 17 Nov 2015; paralympic.org, 01 Jan 2015) Reason: "Like every Brazilian child, I began playing with a ball at a young age. At age six I lost my sight but I continued to play with my friends, we put a plastic bag on the ball. Once I discovered Para football 5-a-side I was happy to know that a person with a vision impairment could compete at the highest level and represent their country at international competitions. Football has always been my passion." (jornalismojunior.com.br, 17 Nov 2020; elperuano.pe, 28 Aug 2019; IBSA, 17 Nov 2015) Milestones: At the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, he and teammates Damiao De Souza Ramos and Ricardo Steinmetz Alves each won their fourth career Paralympic gold medal in the sport, equalling the record for the most football 5-a-side gold medals at the Games. The first player to win four Paralympic gold medals in the sport was fellow Brazilian Marcos Alves Felipe [2004-2016]. (SportsDeskOnline, 01 Jul 2024) Awards: He was named Para Football 5-a-side Player of the Year by the Brazilian Paralympic Committee [CPB] for 2011, 2013, and 2016. (cpb.org.br, 01 Dec 2023) Additional Info: FREEDOM ON THE PITCH He enjoys the freedom he experiences while playing the sport. "What I like the most is the autonomy that I have on the pitch. People with an impairment generally depend on others from day to day, but that doesn't happen on the pitch. There we have to do what we are supposed to do in the best way. We choose our own path. We have the chance to show how hard we train. I wouldn't change this feeling for anything." (elperuano.pe, 28 Aug 2019) ROLE MODEL He aspires to be an example for children in Brazil. "It's something I never imagined, but I feel very proud. It's a sign that I've done a good job so far as a professional athlete. Sport teaches us many lessons that we carry into life itself. One of them is respect. You learn to respect those around you, to live in a group and that people are different from each other. We learn to win and lose, and that's very important, because in life we also have victories and frustrations and we have to know how to deal with all those issues. Football, for me, is everything. Without football, I would not be who I am today. I am a better person thanks to the sport." (paralympic.org, 22 Feb 2020)