Footballing brothers off to Brazil

Two teenage brothers from Leeds have been signed to play football for a professional club in Brazil.

Ifran Akram, 18, and 17-year-old Mohammed, from Beeston, started playing with Leeds' Brazilian football school, Futebol de Salao (FDS), four years ago.

The brothers raised the money to go to Brazil last summer where they spent hours playing with the locals on Copacabana beach.

Soccer coaches spotted their skills and they were offered trials with the Resende club, based on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro.

They train with me every day for at least two hours, usually four

Simon Clifford
Futebol de Salao

Mohammed says: "We played in a match at Resende and at half time we thought they were joking when they said we could come back.

"We had to leave two days later so we got the bus and returned to Rio."

Back in Leeds, Irfan and Mohammed received a phone call offering them contracts to train and play with the club.

They expect to leave for Brazil at the end of this month once they finish school.

Skill and determination

Simon Clifford from FDS said: "The boys have shown great commitment since they started training with me.

"What sets them apart is not just their skill but their sheer determination.

"They train with me every day for at least two hours, usually four."

Mr Clifford set up the Futebol de Salao school in Leeds in 1996 to teach this five-a-side version of the game which originated in South America.

It is played with a smaller and heavier ball that has virtually no bounce.

Some of the worlds' best footballers - including Pele, Rivelino, Juninho and Ronaldo - grew up playing FDS.