IN MY WORDS: Anibal Godoy

The life story of the Quakes midfielder as told by Anibal

By San Jose Earthquakes

November 30^th, 2017

"They were a foundation for me and I have to thank them for helping me become the person that I am today."

I grew up in two homes; one was in Calle 15 Santa Ana and the other was in El Palmar de Nueva Arraigán. My grandma lived in the center of the city and my mother lived in the suburbs. I studied in the city and pretty much stayed with my grandma in Calle 15 Santa Ana. It was there that I started to play soccer. At nighttime, I went to the suburbs to my mother’s house in El Palmar de Nueva Arraigán.

I have two siblings. My younger sister and I pretty much stayed with our grandma because my older brother was big enough to take care of himself. My grandma was a very important part of my childhood. She was the one that looked after me everyday, and was pretty much a second mother. She gave me advice and tried to help me with everything. She was always there for me.

My family worked hard to provide for me. I always enjoyed soccer, but my parents instilled the value of school in me first. I couldn’t do both soccer and school, I had to choose one or the other, but I did what I could to fit both in.

My parents helped me a lot and always supported me. They were a foundation for me and I have to thank them for helping me become the person that I am today. They supported my soccer career and I am so thankful to them for helping me become a good person.

"It was at that moment I decided that I could be someone in soccer."

I was around 15 years old when I was called up to the U-17 Panama National Team. I was still in high school, but I was almost finished with it. It was at that moment I decided that I could be someone in soccer.

I was pretty much finished school, so it made it a bit easier, but my parents wanted me to go to college. I didn’t want to. I wanted to focus only on soccer and thankfully I got the opportunity to pursue it.

I played for a club called Chepo F.C. When I was 15, we were in the second division, but one year later we were promoted to the first. At 16, I was playing professionally.

When I was 19 years old, I left my parents’ house and moved in with my girlfriend, Tatiana, who is now my wife. I became a grown up, as they say. I met her at school when I was 16 and we got married when I was 21. We have been together for about 11 years and have been married for six.

"I would say that right now is the best time of my career."

When I was 20, I went to Argentina for a year before returning to Panama. After that I went to Hungary and haven’t lived in Panama since. It was difficult to go to Hungary, mostly because I didn’t speak English. They speak English and Hungarian there, so it was really difficult during the first few months. The coach spoke Spanish, and I heard a lot of English in the locker room so I tried to remember everything I could. I was practically studying in the locker room, trying to make the language easier for me so I could communicate the basics of soccer.

I would say that right now is the best time of my career. Qualifying for the World Cup on Oct. 10, 2017 is my favorite soccer moment so far. I couldn’t believe it when the referee blew the whistle. I thanked God for what was happening and asked him to wake me up from the dream. Seeing my teammates celebrate was special, and qualifying for the World Cup is something that is unique for only our team in Panama’s history.

I want to achieve great things so my national team and family are happy. I want to be in a stable place and let soccer take me where I want to go.

"I wanted to be in a stable place in the club where I could show my talent."

My son Neymar was born on July 3, 2011. He changed me a lot because I became more responsible. He was a blessing for our family. We are going to have another son this week or the next*. Neymar is very happy. He says “when will he be born?” and touches my wife’s belly. He wants to see him. I hope he cares and looks out for him.

My parents, my grandmother and my wife have supported me a lot. We are a close family and when I have problems, they are the only ones that are there for me. I have always fought for my family and I try to help them in any way that I can.

My parents will come next month and my in-laws will also come soon. It is the first time they will visit San Jose.

I have the life that my family and I wanted here. I wanted to be in a stable place in the club where I could show my talent. My family is happy here, my son is happy at school and my wife is happy as well. I look for stability and a place that I can achieve things easily. It is easy to be here in a city like this, in a country like this, that opens its doors to everyone. My family is happy, and if they’re happy, I am happy too.

*At the time of publication, the Godoy family has already welcomed their second son, Andrey, to the family. He was born on Wednesday, Oct. 25.

Footnotes

Contributor: Charlotte Muscroft

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FootNotes

Contributor: Charlotte Muscroft