Euclides Gomes Vaz, commonly known as Bebe, is the current number one keeper for the Portuguese national futsal team as well as his club side Benfica, with whom he has been for 10 years now. Having won five Portuguese league titles as well as the UEFA Futsal Cup in 2009-10, he is one of star international futsal players who are in action in India at the moment as part of the inaugural edition of Premier Futsal.
Playing for the Goa 5s unit, Bebe has been a livewire with his acrobatic saves and daredevil runs into the opposition area. Excerpts from his media interaction from a few nights ago.
On having the best seat for the Ronaldinho show last Sunday…
It was amazing. For me to play with a great who won 2 Ballon D’Or, a pleasure to win for me and my teammates. All through the game, he made those wonderful things that you saw. Five goals, just amazing. I thank God for the opportunity to play with Ronaldinho.
The difference in preparation for a goalkeeper in football and futsal…
It's very different because in futsal you have a certain technique for a goalkeeper. The goal is much smaller and you have to stop the shots very near to you. So there is a lot of difference. In futsal, as compared to football, being a goalkeeper is more difficult.
You have to be a bit crazy (grins); you can get strong shots sometimes and you make some saves. It's hard and different.
His tendency to make attacking runs with the ball at his feet…
Yeah, I do that when I play with my team in Portugal with Benfica. I make the forward runs, not because I'm crazy (laughs), but I try to create superiority, like three players from my team against two players for the opponent. So, sometimes I do that.
If it is near to their goal, I do that, if it is near to my goal, I don't do that. Something that makes futsal more entertaining.
Also Read: Premier Futsal League: Rating the marquee players after the Chennai leg
On the atmosphere here and back home…
I must say that there is not a lot of difference. Crowd here is very energetic. They always yell and make noise. In Portugal, we have very strong supporters called "The No Name Boys", "Rapazes Sem Nome” in Portuguese, they are amazing and I will say that they are the best supporters in the world.
Even when we have lost games they start to yell and give us a push to make us feel better. Just great supporters. Here too, I was surprised by the crowds. It was amazing.
His emotions when Portugal won Euro 2016…
Oh! It was around 2 AM here, I was in India, and I was alone in my room. I started to jump in my bed, started to yell. I was afraid that somebody was going to knock the door and ask me to keep it down. It was just fantastic to see Portugal win the European championships for the first time.
(Premier Futsal is now into the second leg of matches in Goa with the semis and final scheduled for weekend)
