The 2024 edition of the Brazilian University Games (JUBs) brought together the cream of Brazilian women’s futsal in Brasília. This statement is not exaggerated, as the competition features nine players from the Brazilian national team, three from the main team and six from the under-20s, as well as doctor Yhasmin Redondo and the team’s coach, Wilson Saboia, chosen by the Futsal Planet Awards (an entity that awards the highlights of the sport) as the best coach in the world in 2023.
Anyone who attends the Caixa Econômica Staff Association (Apcef-DF) gymnasium this week has the privilege of watching exciting, high-level matches. An example of this was the confrontation between UniCesumar-SC and UniFecaf-SP, still in the group stage. The 2-2 draw put two of the best futsal players in the country face to face: Isabelle Maria, known as Bella (who scored both of her team’s goals in the match), and Natália Fernandes, known as Natalinha.
Different positions, but each wearing the same number 12 on the uniform. Bella, who defends the team from Santa Catarina, plays more regularly. Natalinha, from the São Paulo team, plays pivot. The clash is inevitable, as are the fouls. This is a consequence of their high performance and also because they know each other very well.
The hardest foul was committed by Bella: “It’s very difficult to mark her, due to her quality. We’re kind of like, do I make the move? Will it work”?
“We know each other very well, as we have faced each other on several occasions. But the game is missing, it’s on the court. It’s over, it’s dead”, says Natalinha.
In addition to the university title, what is at stake are also points for the Brazilian team. Wilson Saboia, who manages the Unifor team at JUBs, would play in the next match, but kept an eye on the previous match.
“We play at high performance, always looking for the highest, which is the national team. He is here, whether we want it or not, he is watching, and we end up being more aware of what to do, because our dream is the national team”, says Bella.
According to Natalinha, JUBs is also important for younger athletes: “It is a unique opportunity for all girls. He is watching and we have to play our part in any competition.”
Brazil will host the next edition of the Copa América of women’s futsal, which will be played between the 22nd and 30th of March 2025. The competition will offer three places for the first World Cup in the history of the sport, which will be held next year in Philippines. The Brazilian team is the current champion of the Copa América, a title it won in 2023 with 100% success, and with an incredible 51 goals scored, while conceding just one.
And speaking of hopscotch, when the players put on their national team’s shirts, the rivalry isn’t even close. “When we are representing Brazil, everyone is for one shirt. Everyone is happy, supporting and running for each other”, says Natalinha.
However, athletes also highly value their studies. And, even though they are focused on futsal, they know that they need to prepare for the future off the court. “I come from a family of fishermen from Ceará and my parents couldn’t pay for me to go to college. Futsal gave me what my parents couldn’t. However, futsal is not forever, so we need to be prepared to practice our profession”, concludes Bella.
