FC Dallas academy graduate and United States international Jesus Ferreira recognized his mother as the reason he has become a successful professional soccer player.
Since breaking into the first team in Dallas in 2018 at just sixteen years old, Ferreira has amassed 40 goals in 134 games for the Texan side. Ferreira's 2022 MLS season, in which he scored 18 goals and notched six assists, helped him earn a call-up to the USMNT squad ahead of the 2022 World Cup.
Ferreira's young career has put many on notice - and he gives thanks to his mother who has been there with him every step of the way.
"For me, my mom has been everything. I don't think I have words to describe everything my mom has done for us, for me, for my brothers," Ferreira said. "All the sacrifice she has made. I think that sometimes we do not notice everything that a mother does for us and in my case, it is because of her that we are here, because of her that we are fulfilling our dream."
"We planned to return to Colombia, when my dad left and my mom said no. My mother, she said that she was going to stay here with us, for us to continue dreaming, to continue fighting for that dream. And now we are here accomplishing many things that could not be accomplished without her sacrifice."
Ferreira scored on his debut for FC Dallas coming on as a substitute, and that moment will forever stick with him: "A story that always comes to me is in my debut. In my debut I go in, I score a goal and she is the first person I see in the stands and she comes down and kisses me. So it is always the love, the support that she always gives me, that is so important to me."
Ferreira isn't the only notable academy product to come out of FC Dallas. Kellyn Acosta, Weston McKennie, and Ricardo Pepi all progressed through the same ranks as Ferreira. The U.S. international hopes that he can be a trailblazer for many more young players that come through the FC Dallas academy.
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"Dallas is a team that gives a lot of opportunities to youngsters, a lot of opportunities to boys from the academy and I am very happy sharing that story, sharing that piece of me that every child is going to say ... I can do it, I can do what Jesus did, go for everything, every step of the academy and manage to play in the first team. And I think it's important that every kid look and see that it can be done."
Ferreira left a heartfelt message to all mothers ahead of Mother's Day: "To all the mothers who are here in the world, that all of us children love you, that because of you we are the reason that we are here and that without you this world would not be the same. So thank you for all the sacrifice, all you do, we love you."
This article was originally published on 90min as Jesus Ferreira cites upbringing for his recent rise at FC Dallas and USMNT.
