El Salvador’s Jean de los Reyes impresses Loyola-Meralco Manila FC

VERY few Filipino football fans know him. But 26-year-old Jean de los Reyes of El Salvador, Misamis Oriental impressed the coaching staff of the Loyola-Meralco Manila Football Club (FC) including head coach Aris Caslib.

He is a product of Capitol University (CU), a school which does not even have a football program, how much more a football pitch.

However, he has an asset most footballers do not have, a strong left foot.

An asset which he developed and impressed coach Caslib.

El Salvador City, the home of the biggest statue of Jesus Christ in the Philippines inside the Divine Mercy Shrine, is 15 kilometers away from Cagayan de Oro City.

It has also a tiny football community and has a decent stadium with a well-groomed football field at the heart of the city.

Parents

But the son of Rachel and Edgar de Los Reyes had no formal football education except for joining some football clinics organized by the Cagayan Misamis Oriental Football Association (Cemofa) when he was younger.

He, however, remembers playing football in high school at the St. Joseph Academy in El Salvador. He also credits Joey Flores of Monte Carlo FC and Michael Matin-aw as his coaches as a youth player.

Since CU does not have any football team, he has kept honing his football skills playing for the Magis FC, the premier amateur football club in CdO. Magis FC is composed of Xavier University alumni players.

Degree

He finished his Bachelor of Elementary Education degree at CU and does not want to teach young children yet. “I can still play competitive football. When I can no longer play maybe I will go into teaching,’’ he said.

After finishing his course at CU in 2013, he was recruited by Pasargad FC to play in the United Football League (UFL) where he saw action for three seasons. He impressed his coach in Pasargad and even became a team captain during his last season.

When the UFL stopped operation last year to give way for the Philippine Football League (PFL) this year, Pasargad also folded up.

He then tried out for Loyola and only recently he was named to the line-up. “I was surprised but thankful that my hard work has paid off,” he said.

He describes coach Aris as a very calm coach and very systematic.

Star struck

Although he has not signed any contract yet, Jean is just so happy to make the team. He is also sometimes star struck when playing with the Younghusband brothers James and Phil who are considered as the faces of Philippine football.

“I used to watch them play on TV but now they are already my team mates. I never expected that my career would reach this far,’’ he added.

Jean also admits that he is not a very talented and skillful player but he has the heart for the game and that he dreams that one day he can really play in the PFL.

Football scribe Bob Guerrero describes Jean as a fighter.

A fighting left footed player is a rarity. The Azkals only have Daisuke Sato as their pure left back.

If he continues to work hard, Jean might not only secure his place at the left side of the Loyola-Meralco Manila FC. He might also give Sato competition in the Azkals camp.

(l.biantan@gmail.com)

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