Clarinha getting inspiration from special source

Clarinha had already covered plenty of ground on the pitch at Bielsko-Biala Stadium, but that did not stop her from running a few more metres to meet someone very special. After helping Brazil beat Canada 3-0 in which she was named the Player of the Match, she climbed into the stands to find someone who had gone to even greater lengths to be there: nearly 12,000 kilometres and five legs of a journey in a wheelchair.

Waiting for her was Andre, the Benfica player’s godfather and cousin. The two embraced and celebrated the fulfilment of a dream that had begun long before the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Poland 2026™ and that had been etched into the 46-year-old's skin – literally – but, above all, into both their hearts.

"He's my godfather, Andre. Having him here means so much to me,” Clarinha told FIFA after the match. “He promised that if I came to the World Cup, he'd come and watch me play in Poland, and he found a way to make it happen.”

Andre kept his promise. He set off from Goiania and travelled via Brasilia, Sao Paulo, Berlin and Krakow before finally arriving in Bielsko-Biala. In total, he covered 11,897 kilometres from the city where he lives to the venue for his goddaughter's first World Cup matches.

The journey came with an added challenge. In 1997, at the age of 16, Andre suffered an accident while diving into shallow water. The resulting spinal cord injury was irreversible and left him with tetraparesis. He has used a wheelchair ever since. For Clarinha, however, this has always simply been part of who her godfather is, having known him that way all her life.

"The accident happened before she was born, so that's just how she knows me. That's just how her godfather is," Andre told FIFA. "With Clarinha, it was never a taboo or an obstacle. The connection we have feels like something from another lifetime, and she's an incredible person."

Distance has been part of their story for almost as long as football has. Clarinha has lived in Portugal with her parents since she was four, while Andre remained in Brazil. That meant he was unable to be there in person for much of his goddaughter's development, but it never diminished their closeness or his support for her.

"Ana [Clarinha is a nickname for Ana Clara] started dreaming about this very young and, because of the distance, there was a period when I couldn't be there in person to follow her journey closely,” said Andre. “But I was always there in my mind, keeping in touch and cheering her on, because when you care about someone, you want to see their dreams come true.”

Clarinha's parents are also in Poland for the tournament, having travelled from Portugal. Andre made the journey alone from Brazil, including an 11-hour flight from Brazil to Germany. In fact, the entire journey took more than 24 hours.

"I was the only one who came here from Brazil, in a wheelchair, enduring an 11-hour flight from Sao Paulo to Germany and then several more hours travelling to Poland," he said.

Having her family there took on even greater significance on a special night for Clarinha after she was named Player of the Match. When asked about the recognition, however, the midfielder was quick to share the credit with her team-mates. "The credit goes to the whole group. Of course, individual performances make the team stronger, but having a really united team is what matters most."

Andre firmly believes that his goddaughter's football journey is only just beginning. During Clarinha's most recent holiday in Rio de Janeiro, the pair visited the legendary Maracana, which will host the opening match and final of the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027™, and the player made her godfather a promise that she would fight to return to the stadium soon.

"She looked at me and said, 'Godfather, I'm going to play here for Brazil.' Just thinking positively and fighting for it already has all my support and all my backing," Andre recalled. "I believe she'll be the best in the world, without a doubt, and that she'll be at the World Cup in Brazil in 2027. I'll be able to follow her journey up close. I believe in her talent and the person she is; she's completely focused on what she wants."

For now, Andre still has one more commitment in the stands in Poland. He will return to Brazil on Saturday 12 September because of work, meaning he will only be able to attend the group stage. His final match will be Brazil's clash with England on Friday 11 September, which will decide who finishes top of Group B, with Brazil already having secured their place in the round of 16.

"As they say, I won't be there physically, but my heart will always be there," he said.

As if the trip had not been memorable enough already, Andre decided to make sure Clarinha's tournament would be remembered in another way too. The day after the match against Canada, he got a tattoo of the Polish flag, his goddaughter's name and the name of the U-20 Women's World Cup.

"She saw the tattoo and asked, 'Did it hurt, Godfather?' I admitted that it did [laughs]," he said. "But I wanted to pay this tribute to her. It's a unique experience, a feeling that can't be explained. It's beautiful. Ana is reaping the rewards of the seeds she's sown as an honest young woman who fights for her goals and dreams."