The power of passion: How love for football is fuelling Spain-based Bradley Eloff's ambitions to play for Kenya

By just doing what he loves, Bradley, 17, has turned his passion into a career and is staring at success with U.E Sant Andreu, an under-19 team based in Barcelona, Spain.

Over the years, he has developed his skills and talent and is now an integral part of the team. He has been in the team set-up for two years now and he says he never expected to play at this level.

“For me it was something I would do not for the sake of training, not for the sake of going professional, but it was something that made me be with my friends and neighbours out there. When I was eight is when I joined a team, and from there I simply kept going,” said Bradley.

Despite spending his entire youth on football fields, restricting him from engaging in other activities that children in his age got into, he has no regrets.

“I didn’t expect to be where I am today honestly. It came as a surprise, if anything, but my love for football has always been there; not just as a job or a profession, but for fun. I have always enjoyed it; it is something I would always do.”

Bradley was in two football academies in Spain before he was called up for trials with Sant Andreu and finally got a chance to play for the team.

He started at the Avanza Football Academy in Montgat, Barcelona, before joining the Kaptiva Sports Academy in Sant Cugat, also in Barcelona.

The leagues in Spain took a break for the Christmas holidays, and Bradley took advantage of that to return to Kenya for the three weeks break.

And as with all his breaks, he went back to his roots in Kawangware to train with the Magic 90 team in the dusty pitches of the place. He says he will always go back to his roots whenever in Kenya.

“This is where I learnt to play football; I remember starting here as a young boy. I never knew how to juggle, or how to dribble, but I learn quickly, that’s the good thing. As you can see, our training is nothing over-complicated, just a couple of guys who come together and play football,” he added.

By doing something he loves, it has given him the opportunity to travel to Europe, visiting cities he had never been to before forging friendships with people from all over the world.

Education is key to Bradley's development. Though his football is going great according to plan, he is in school in Spain at the AESA Prep Academy of Barcelona.

The 12th grade student says his parents insisted on a good education to go with the football talent.

“I have had previous academy mates or just mates in general that have said they are playing football and they forgot about school. For me, it has never been like that because my mum has helped me a lot. She has always insisted on school, and I agree with her because after football, I’m still a human being, so I plan to continue all the way to university.”

National team dream

Bradley says he is working hard to be noticed by the national under-20 team selectors as he wants to play for Kenya.

He is following in the footsteps of other Kenyans in academies and under-19 teams in Spain like Adrian Kibet and Amos Wanjala who are part of the Nastic Sports Academy in Tarragona near Barcelona.

Coincidentally, Bradley has played against Nastic Academy and he interacted with the boys after hearing them speak Swahili during the match.

“Honestly, I would just love the chance to play for the national team. It is something I have dreamt about multiple times. For me it is more so than just about myself, it is all about representing the country. Kenyans we are amazing (in football), and that’s a fact that I know. So, If I’m able to demonstrate that in a national viewpoint, I would feel really amazing,” he said.

The difference he has seen between Kenya and Spain football is the style of play where unlike in Kenya, there is not so much of dribbling but passing the ball as you move forward and shooting when you get an opportunity.

Bradley says he dedicates most of his time to training and going to school and has very little time to socialize. For him, more hours in training will translate to being consistent and showcasing his skill for him to make a football impact both in Kenya and in Spain.

Spain has a different language and a different culture, but Bradley has learnt how to adapt and learnt the language.

He also speaks fluent Swahili from growing up in Kileleshwa and not in school. He gets to practice it while in Kenya because all his training mates at Magic 90 speak to him in Swahili, the common language at the training ground.

And a word to the upcoming players, he says it is not easy out there as you have to work really hard to prove yourself in a foreign land.