India’s Neroca FC sign Garcia brothers

INDIAN football club Neroca FC have signed Trinidad and Tobago footballers and brothers Judah and Nathaniel Garcia for the 2020/2021 season.

The two are also the brothers of TT and AEK Athens winger Levi Garcia, which means all three Santa Flora siblings now have international contracts.

For Nathaniel, 27, the upcoming I-League season will serve as his return to India, having previously played for Gokulam Kerala FC for the 2019/2020 season. He scored five goals in 22 appearances.

The midfielder has played locally for TTEC Sports Club and eventually moved on to Central FC and Point Fortin Civic.

He made his senior national team debut in 2016 under former head coach Stephen Hart.

He told Newsday he feels “really happy and blessed” about the signing as “I want to go back there and finish what I left off from last season. I have some unfinished business.”

He said he always expected that the three of them would be able to do well internationally.

“Everyone who follows us knew one day it would have happened and I’m really looking forward to playing with my younger brother.

“But I’m sure he’s more excited than me,” he teased.

But for Judah, 20, it will be his I-League debut and international club debut entirely.

He has represented TT in its Under-20 and Under-21 teams and eventually made his senior national debut in 2018 under former head coach Dennis Lawrence.

For the 2019/2020 season, he played for Point Fortin Civic in the TT Super League.

When it comes to the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL), he captained Shiva Boys Hindu College to its first Premier Division title IN 2016.

He also captained the team to the Coca Cola National Intercol title in 2017 and copped the 2017 Player of the Year Award.

He told Newsday there’s no fear ahead of his debut but only excitement as it was an opportunity he has always been preparing for.

Asked what he hopes to achieve, he said, “Firstly, to try getting into the starting XI and have a good season and hopefully win the league.”

He said his dream league to compete in is Spain-based La Liga.

His message to other young footballers is: “With the talent, you always have to put in hard work and that’s what makes you achieve.”

He, too, is proud of his siblings.

“It’s a big accomplishment because this is what we as brothers always wanted. “

Levi told Newsday he is especially proud of his brothers as he knows the work they put in.

“I know how hard they worked and where they come from. And as I always say, it’s a mental game too so your mentality also has to be strong. Then, you can just go out there and do your best.”

He said he wishes them all the best.

They also have two other brothers, Brent and Daniel, who have also played football locally.

Daniel played for Siparia Spurs FC and Brent played for TTEC Sports Club and Spurs.