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Jacynta Galabadaarachchi – a name to remember, and a player who is currently taking the Scottish Women’s Premier League by storm with Celtic.
“Everybody always comes up to me like ‘how do you say your name?’ It’s too long. But it’s actually quite easy to say – it just looks very intimidating. It’s funny; it doesn’t fit behind the shirt,” he said. Sky Sports.
The Australian started playing soccer with his younger brother, aged 5, and quickly fell in love with the game.
“Since I was nine years old, I told my parents, ‘I want to play in Europe,'” the 21-year-old said. “It’s been my goal since childhood.”
Jacynta Galabadaarachchi has been fond of football since childhood
“I watch all the football matches in Europe. It looks amazing. I watch a lot of men’s teams, but I still want to play there. Especially seeing Messi in Barcelona, I always want to play in Spain.”
And when he was nine years old, he was asked to try out with Manchester United, and when he came to England, he also trained for eight weeks with Manchester City.
At the age of 15, he signed with Melbourne City and three years later when he was just 18, Galabadaarachchi was scouted by West Ham and moved to London.
“It’s a big deal for me. Leaving home and not being with my family anymore is a difficult step. But I’m glad I took it,” he said.
Jacynta Galabadaarachchi plays for former club West Ham
The teenager made 11 appearances for the Hammers before signing on loan with Napoli in 2020.
But 2021 was the last year of Galabadaarachchi’s longer home in Scotland, when he moved to Celtic and soon became one of the team’s most valuable players, winning Celtic’s 2021-22 Player of the Season award.
In the season in which Celtic won the Scottish Cup, Galabadaarachchi became a prominent player and made her mark in Scottish women’s football.
“Celtic players this year is a big deal. But just to see your hard work pay off. It’s nice to get the award, but I couldn’t have done it without all the good team,” he said. .
And that’s not the only award he won for the 2021-22 season. Galabadaarachchi made history in 2022 when he won the Young Player of the Year trophy at the PFA Scotland awards.
“It’s amazing. I mean, I really didn’t expect it. Even when I was nominated, I never expected to win,” she smiled.
“So when they called my name, the girls were like ‘go, go!’ I just didn’t expect it. But yeah, it’s amazing.”
And this year’s campaign is no different. In the opening match of the 2022-23 Scottish Women’s Premier League season, Galabadaarachchi set the tone by scoring her first hat-trick.
Where next?
Jacynta Galabadaarachchi from Celtic
Galabadaarachchi’s mother is Argentinian and Italian, while her father is Sri Lankan – making her a rare role model for South Asian girls’ football in England.
So where does such a mix leave an international football career?
Galabadaarachchi has caps for the Australian U17 and U20 teams, but through his mother’s nationality, can also play for Argentina who are currently ranked 29th in the FIFA world rankings.
But what about that dream of playing in Spain? With talk from Barcelona and Levante, who knows he could end it in the future, or even from June 2023 when his contract with Celtic is up?
He won’t say no if Barcelona come.
“Ever since I watched Messi play at Barça, it’s been my dream, so it’s hard to say no even though I love Celtic and the fans and the club.
“I think any player would dream of playing at a club like that.”
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