THE SMALL FUTSAL NATION HONOURED TO FAREWELL FUTSAL’S GREATEST PLAYER FALCAO IN HIS LAST INTERNATIONAL MATCH ON HOME SOIL.

Solomon Islands is a small island nation located in the south pacific just three hours’ flight from Brisbane, Australia. A nation with over five hundred thousand population and home to three different races of people, Melanesian which is the dominant race, Micronesian and Polynesian. The nation of Solomon Islands lately has its name lifted globally through the football code of futsal, an indoor football game played by five players. It is a game full of skills, technique and tactical characteristics and in the Pacific region, Solomon Islands is the champion in this particular game. Just like the Brazilians love football, Solomon Islands is packed with football fanatics and the game of futsal has also taken Solomon Islands by storm as people loved their local national team called the Kurukuru.

Solomon Islands is a footballing nation and have been recognized around the pacific through their lethal attacking players who have really dominated the pacific region as individual stars in teams. Football although have just taken its place as the national sport was a game introduced after rugby which was Solomon Islands first main sport. Solomon Islanders loved their sport and when football was producing some remarkable results before, it has gathered a lot of followers and eventually the generation after grew idolizing their country’s footballers and always hoped to be a footballer themselves. The futsal game was just introduced later and Solomon Islands have identified themselves as suitable nation for this particular football code. In 2008, Solomon Islands went to the world cup with a squad full of sixteen and seventeen-year-old boys who were for the first time have the opportunity to play on proper FIFA futsal organized tournament. The Solomon Islands endured some harsh goals in this particular FIFA Futsal World Cup but the boys have gained exceptional experience that eight years later will benefit them. One of their highlights of the tournament was playing against the world’s greatest futsal player Falcao. The Brazilian team was totally a different class compared to the youthful Solomon Islanders but they do see the potential in the Solomon Islands team and the legendary Falcao himself advised the Kurukuru boys to stick together to be a good team in the future. In 2012, Solomon Island again featured in their second FIFA Futsal world cup and they ended the tournament with an exceptional victory over Guatemala. Solomon Islands first victory was something so sweet to the home nation that the people back home celebrated the team’s arrival like they have won a world cup themselves. Indeed, this game have definitely found itself in the heart of Solomon Islands people.

Eight years have passed and now the Kurukuru team are back in the world stage for their third world cup. The team which consisted of 70% of the same team in the 2008 and 2012 FIFA World cups is now filled with matured men and looking to do well in their 2016 FIFA Futsal World cup tournament. Their inspirational Captain Elliot Ragomo have praised the boys and have really thanked all the people supporting them for their prayers and belief in the team. He has promised the nation that they will do their best in the three finals they have in the world cup in Columbia. For the Kurukuru boys, every one of them is passionate about futsal and one of the factors that have definitely led this passion is the legend of futsal, Falcao. The Brazilian is regarded as the best futsal player ever graced the game. He scores, he assisted and he even defended like non other. He won everything there is to win in the game and every futsal nation knows the name Falcao and so as these boys growing up, they also idolize Falcao. In 2008, their dream came through when they played Brazil. Falcao was playing and although he was their hero, he was also responsible for most of Brazil’s goal against the Kurukuru. However, the opportunity to play against Falcao was more the enjoyment of the boys and they hold nothing back for a picture with the greatest. Now eight years later and the legend himself is fare welling the game of futsal internationally after the world cup. In his last game at home soil, Falcao once again played the same Solomon Islands side that he encouraged eight years ago. For him to see these boys grew together into men was more inspirational as equal as his final international home match. The Solomon Islands team bravely took on the Brazilian side led by Falcao and although losing by eighteen goals to nil, the boys enjoyed the match and enjoyed Falcao’s master piece display which saw him scored one of his trademark bicycle kick. The Solomon Islands team indeed loved every moment of the friendly match and treasured it. It was not just a normal friendly but a home farewell to Brazil’s greatest futsal player ever.

The Kurukuru boys were quite honored to be the last team to play Falcao at home soil. Despite of the big margin of goals, there was definitely signs of improvement in the Kurukuru side and even the Brazilian home crowd respected the small island nation’s effort. In creating history and legacy such as this, one particular interesting thing about the Solomon Islands is that even until now, there is no futsal home. This has been the cry of the national team for many years and up to now, there has nothing being built for this futsal nation. The current team is made up of the pioneers of the game and they have struggled through years to build to where they are now, the new generation is the ones needed caring and the best way is to build facilities for the game. Solomon Islands Kurukuru will play their third world cup now and the nation even though they don’t have the actual facilities is proud of their team and supports them in every way possible. Surely this small futsal nation has come a long way and they totally deserved to be the ones fare welling the legend of futsal Falcao in his last international home game.