Football 5-a-side Ones to Watch named heading into Copa America

Find out why Brazil’s Jefferson da Conceicao Goncalves, France’s Frederic Villeroux, Spain’s Antonio Martin and Argentina’s Silvio Vela are top stars. 17 Sep 2013

Frederic Villeroux

ⒸLautaro Cheppi

By IPC

Both Vela and Jefinho will be in action at the Copa America which runs from 19-26 September and will draw teams from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, Mexico and Uruguay.

With one of the biggest football 5-a-side tournaments of the year starting on Thursday (19 September) – the Copa America in Santa Fe, Argentina – the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) together with the International Blind Sports Association (IBSA) have revealed the sport’s four One to Watch athletes on the road to Rio 2016.

The IPC’s Ones to Watch initiative showcases the top athletes around the world, with all of the football 5-a-side selections having won major tournaments or medals, in addition to strong appearances in the media.

Jefferson da Conceicao Goncalves, better known as “Jefinho,” is arguably the most highly regarded football 5-a-side player in the world, helping his team win their last two Paralympic titles.

His three goals in the London 2012 final were an inspiration to the Brazilians, and at the age of 24, he will only continue to improve from that on the road to Rio 2016, when the Games come home for him.

Frederic Villeroux, who helped France to a silver-medal finish at London 2012 as the team captain, is also on the list. The fully blind player is widely regarded as the top French player at the moment, playing for Bordeaux, and was given the national order of merit earlier this year.

Antonio Martin has also been included after leading Spain to the European title this year and a bronze-medal finish at London 2012 last year.

The midfielder from Malaga has been on the international scene since 1999 has been involved in three Paralympic Games.

Argentina’s Silvio Vela rounds out the list – a veteran player who has been integral to his team’s success on the international stage since 1991.

Both Vela and Jefinho will be in action at the Copa America which runs from 19-26 September and will draw teams from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, Mexico and Uruguay.

The continental championship will serve as a qualifying event for the 2014 IBSA Blind Football World Championships.

These aforementioned four football stars are not necessarily the Ones to Watch athletes for Rio 2016, but are the ones to keep your eyes on throughout the upcoming international events during the next Paralympic cycle.

A number of other activities will also be implemented across social media in a concerted effort to boost the profiles of these athletes and make them household names for years to come.

The IPC’s Ones to Watch campaign launched in the lead-up to London 2012, when a new section was included within Paralympic.org, entitled Ones to Watch. This series of pages was designed to raise the profiles of leading medal contenders in Paralympic sports and act as an essential media resource.