FC Barcelona forward and Danish International Martin Brathwaite, was officially unveiled yesterday as the Goodwill Ambassador to Guyana, following a partnership between the Danish Football Association (DBU) and the Guyana Football Federation (GFF).
The presentation ceremony was held at the Marriott Hotel in Kingston. Braithwaite, 31, who is of Guyanese heritage via his father, thanked the DBU, GFF and UEFA Assist for initiating the programme, adding “I am looking forward to being an ambassador and inspiring boys and girls and developing football.”
Braithwaite, who featured in the 2018 World Cup and 2020 European Championship, declared, “I have seen in life, we try to protect the people we love by telling them not to follow their dreams because we are afraid to see them getting hurt but by doing so, we are actually crushing a lot of dreams. We should push, especially the youths to follow their dreams and work hard because we don’t know who we are talking to, they may be the next big thing.”
Although eligible to represent Guyana in his formative years, the former Toulouse and Bordeaux player stated that his aim was to represent Denmark, though he was honoured to receive an invitation to play for the Golden Jaguars.
Meanwhile, GFF President Wayne Forde said that the project is the brainchild of Concacaf President Victor Montagliani, who wanted to ensure the region establishes and maintains relationships with other confederations.
According to Forde, the memorandum of understanding was signed five years prior in an effort to develop football amid mutual interest, adding that this is another tangible step in the development of a partnership which will last for years.
He further noted that the partnership has led to the launch of the Women’s Development League, which clearly highlights “what success and partnership is all about.”
Meanwhile, Mikkel Bjerg, Executive Secretary of the DBU, expressed appreciation to the GFF on the budding partnership which started in 2019, adding that the entity is happy to commence the second part of the collaboration, and look forward to maintaining the relationship.
Also, Chris Milnes, International Relations Project Specialist of UEFA Assist, said that initiative was launched by President Aleksander Ceferin with the primary aim of supporting confederations outside of Europe.
He further thanked Braithwaite and the DBU for making this venture a reality, which is part of the mandate to develop programmes within sister confederations.
