Rudolf Gaiseb
Youthful football player Godwin Mario Beukes (17) has his eyes set on one day winning the most coveted African Cup of Nations (Afcon) trophy.
Beukes last month made his third appearance at the U/20 Namibian Newspaper Cup in Gobabis, where he was representing the Hardap region.
This is where he showcased incredible talent alongside his teammates, even though their team lost in the knockout stages.
His journey didn’t end there, as he was selected to play for the Shadow Team against the U/17 national team Young Warriors in an exhibition match during the cup tournament.
All these experiences, he said, are leading him up to one day securing a spot in the Brave Warriors squad.
As he awaits that day, the Rehoboth-born attacking midfielder shared how his interest in football developed.
“I started playing football for Sports Klub Windhoek (SKW) in 2018 as an U/11 player. This is where I started to learn all the basics.
During his time at SKW, Beukes won various accolades, including trophies for top goal-scorer and most disciplined player.
In 2022, at the age of 15, I made my first appearance at the Newspaper Cup, he said.
“I was the youngest player for the Hardap region, and it was a great experience. My coach at that time was Eliaser “Sonny” Amuthitu. He had tremendous impact during the development of my career, because he taught me a lot,” said Beukes.
After the tournament in 2022, Beukes was hunted down by Durban based South African Brits Soccer Academy, where he played for three months.
“This was an incredible experience for me. I bagged the best midfielder accolade,” he said.
As time went, Beukes said he wanted a new challenge and a different experience, so he joined Kaizen Football Academy.
“We train during the evenings; this gives me time to focus on my schoolwork during the day,” he said. Beukes is currently home-schooled.
The Liverpool fan added that his role model is Lionel Messi and just like him, he wants to achieve great accolades.
“I want to help my second division team win the league, to be promoted to the first division, and to represent my country and win the Afcon title,” enthused Beukes.