Eredivisie record-breaker Jadiel Pereira da Gama is already setting his sights on the Champions League.
The teen, aged just 15 years and 243 days, broke the Dutch record for the Eredivisie‘s youngest player which had stood for 66 years.
He did so debuting for PEC Zwolle in their 2-0 win over newly-promoted Telstar.
Speaking post-match, the Dutchman said: “I still don’t really understand it.
“When I had to warm up and was called up, I really got butterflies in my stomach. I was really nervous.”
Asked what he was afraid of, he responded: “Making mistakes. You want to prove yourself. Then you’re afraid of making mistakes. But at some point, that goes away.”
Then questioned about his goals for the coming years, he said: “I want to play in the Champions League. I’d love to be playing there when I’m sixteen, just like Lamine Yamal.”
That seems a long shot given Zwolle have never made the competition, but thanks to their winning start Pereira da Gama joked: “We’re in first place now, and Ronald Koeman was already in the stands…”
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