Paola Ramos

What was, I think, beautiful about this conversation that I had with the coach is that he was just like kind of, he couldn't wait to get out of that room and show me the field where he watched Diercy grow up. So there's this moment where he literally like takes me out. He's like, come with me. And he walks down the street and he starts, you know, he flips his camera the other way.

What was, I think, beautiful about this conversation that I had with the coach is that he was just like kind of, he couldn't wait to get out of that room and show me the field where he watched Diercy grow up. So there's this moment where he literally like takes me out. He's like, come with me. And he walks down the street and he starts, you know, he flips his camera the other way.

And he literally shows me this very humble field in the middle of nowhere. And you can see there's literally like not much around there. This gives them so much pride. This gives them so much dignity. And this is the field where this coach watches Jersey grow up.

And he literally shows me this very humble field in the middle of nowhere. And you can see there's literally like not much around there. This gives them so much pride. This gives them so much dignity. And this is the field where this coach watches Jersey grow up.

He joins these travel teams. So he gets to travel across Venezuela, different regions, different cities. He then becomes a starting keeper on a champion under-16 national team. He actually made it to a tournament in Barcelona. So I'm just picturing Dirce. Oh, it's a dream. Exactly. This kid that is obsessed with Real Madrid. And he eventually makes it... knowing the Venezuelan pro football league.

He joins these travel teams. So he gets to travel across Venezuela, different regions, different cities. He then becomes a starting keeper on a champion under-16 national team. He actually made it to a tournament in Barcelona. So I'm just picturing Dirce. Oh, it's a dream. Exactly. This kid that is obsessed with Real Madrid. And he eventually makes it... knowing the Venezuelan pro football league.

That's what the coach kept talking about. El ultimo torneo. In the last tournament he played in, in 2024, when he was with us... You know, this specific moment in this specific era where Djerse leads his team to the final of the third division.

That's what the coach kept talking about. El ultimo torneo. In the last tournament he played in, in 2024, when he was with us... You know, this specific moment in this specific era where Djerse leads his team to the final of the third division.

From what he describes, it comes down to penalty kicks. All this tension building up, whether they make it or not, depends on these penalty kicks. Then what the coach says is that Diercy's team scores, so all eyes are on him. Right?

From what he describes, it comes down to penalty kicks. All this tension building up, whether they make it or not, depends on these penalty kicks. Then what the coach says is that Diercy's team scores, so all eyes are on him. Right?

Yeah. Will he stop the next goal or not? He just needs to do this one save. Crowd goes wild.

Yeah. Will he stop the next goal or not? He just needs to do this one save. Crowd goes wild.

That he becomes a hero, he becomes this idol, and that I think is one of the reasons why to this day he's so beloved and remembered.

That he becomes a hero, he becomes this idol, and that I think is one of the reasons why to this day he's so beloved and remembered.

Because he proves he can take this small, humble team to the next level, and that's exactly what he does.

Because he proves he can take this small, humble team to the next level, and that's exactly what he does.

Life gets in the middle. I mean, I think the reality of Venezuela in that time is that many people like Herse have to leave. So Herse is a soccer player, but he also suddenly becomes an immigrant. And he goes to Colombia to find better economic opportunities to support his two daughters, to support his father, who needed a very expensive treatment for a glaucoma that he had to deal with.

Life gets in the middle. I mean, I think the reality of Venezuela in that time is that many people like Herse have to leave. So Herse is a soccer player, but he also suddenly becomes an immigrant. And he goes to Colombia to find better economic opportunities to support his two daughters, to support his father, who needed a very expensive treatment for a glaucoma that he had to deal with.

So in 2016, just he's 26 years old, he goes to Bogota, to Colombia. He finds money and he keeps playing in Colombia because that love for soccer is always there. He kind of keeps in touch with this soccer club that sees him growing up. He returns to that beautiful feel that the coach shows me on his phone.

So in 2016, just he's 26 years old, he goes to Bogota, to Colombia. He finds money and he keeps playing in Colombia because that love for soccer is always there. He kind of keeps in touch with this soccer club that sees him growing up. He returns to that beautiful feel that the coach shows me on his phone.