After tearing up the fields of Saskatchewan, Felix Danquah is planning to pursue his soccer dreams overseas next season with Spanish club U.D. Montijo.
Danquah, 19, spent the past season with the Medicine Hat College Rattlers.
“We didn’t have any season because of COVID obviously. But we had practices and we had some intra-squad games. That was good because I was able to get my videos on tape.”
Despite not getting into a competitive match, Danquah felt his time with the Rattlers helped him develop on the pitch.
“Yes it was very good competition. I had to play with guys that are not Canadian. We had a couple Brazilians, a couple from England, we had some Italians, so it was a very good experience there.”
He previously was a part of the Swift Current United Soccer Club and the Swift Current Comp. Colts. Danquah, who played at striker for the Colts, played as a winger on the left side in Medicine Hat and played a bit of striker too.
Danquah moved to Canada from Ghana in 2016. He was named the Saskatchewan Soccer Association’s Grassroots Player of the Year in 2018.
Mondijo, a city very similar in size to Swift Current, is located southwest of Madrid, close to the Portugal border.
“They are in Division Three right now. The latest news that I got, they said that they were in the playoffs and they might get a chance to go into Division Two, so that would be right below La Liga,” explained Danquah.
“That was my goal in life, to be a professional soccer player. So I was able to reach out to a coach in Moose Jaw,” said Danquah.
Danquah has been working with coach Alex Bijelic in Moose Jaw to secure this opportunity in Spain.
“So I was able to get in contact with them. He said okay I feel like because I’ve seen you play in the high school league, you’re scoring goals, I’ve seen the awards and stuff, so I think you are talented enough. He was able to get me in touch with the club. The club said they would love to have me come and play.”
“I said yeah sure because that is what I have been dreaming of, to become a professional soccer player. So this is like a first step,” he added.
Danquah expects to begin playing with U.D. Montijo shortly after arriving in Spain.
“It’s not a tryout. From my understanding, from what they told me, as soon as I get there in August they will let me have the team bonding with other new players they were able to sign or get. So we can have the team bonding and then go through a medical exam and everything. The season is going to start in September and then we are going to start playing on the team.”
“So after full practices or let’s say two months while I’m there I can get promoted to the ‘A’ team. If I get promoted to the ‘A’ team I will be assigned with an agent while I’m with the team,” said Danquah, who added that then the team can sell him or loan him to another team.
“So right now I’m going to be like an academy prospect when I get there. They want to see how I do because they don’t want to send me straight to the ‘A’ team. They want me to get used to Spanish football and then work my way up to the top.”
While he still has plenty of work to do on the pitch, Danquah said he must take this first step.
“I am 100 percent going. I want to go because it is a dream that I have always been dreaming about to start a professional career. I want to take this opportunity.”
Danquah also plans to train with his coach in Moose Jaw with a few other players who have been selected to head overseas.
Between now and August, Danquah will be exploring fundraising opportunities to make this opportunity happen. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Danquah raise money.
“Hopefully I make it and then I can give back 100 percent to the community. I just need help with the fundraising and then if I make it, by God’s grace I will be able to give back to the community 100 percent,” he said.
Danquah is looking forward to representing Swift Current on the field going forward.
“It’s a really big thing for Swift Current, because obviously I want to show Canada and the world that Swift Current can produce good players. Within all my times in Swift Current Soccer I have seen some great players, so I think Swift Current can reach it’s fullest potential with providing players because it’s really good soccer.”
