“They asked us where Galicia is, but at every World Cup we leave our mark”

Galicia is a force in Gaelic football. He goes to the World Championship, which is held from July 24 to 27 in Derry, Northern Ireland, with four teams — two men’s and two women’s — and legitimate illusions about the fight for privileged places. One of those responsible is a “proud Burelense”, even though he was born on the other side of the river Eo: Alberto Mendez Suarez (Navia, 1981).

“Last year was European Championship in Pontevedra and we were champions in both men’s and women’s development division, and silver and bronze in the absolute», details the coach of the men’s development team, also finally included in the most demanding category of the World Championship.

“Since we are a region with a lot of licenses, we can present two teams, but we had to rearrange our plans a little because they pushed us into the absolute tournament at the last minute. We hope not to meet another team from Galicia in the quarter-finals,” Méndez wishes.

As Marinovac explains, given the level of the Irmandiño team, they are not giving up on anything. “If you take away Ireland, which would be like dream team Basketball team of the United States in Barcelona 92we are one of the most important federations to be reckoned with,” says the man who has already experienced the glory days of the World Cup as a player, having featured in the 2015 Abu Dhabi and 2016 Dublin championships.

“First we won silver, then bronze, but third place was special. We lost, went to the second group and beat Chicago in the semi-finals. There they asked us where Galicia is, but at every World Cup we leave our mark. Beating a team like this puts you on the map, because the United States, due to emigration, is one of the areas with the highest level, after Ireland and together with France and Britain,” he details.

Burelense derby second round

Alberto Méndez will not be the only mariñano at the World Cup in Derry. There, in the second match of the group stage, they will meet the Iberia team, with whom they are competing Martin Fernandez Garcia: «We discovered this sport together, when we saw a poster in an Irish pub in A Coruña 12 years ago. We went to a meeting, started with Youtube videos and immediately caught fire.

His current commitment to Gaelic football is admirable, despite the fact that he receives no economic benefit and the little time left to him by his work activities: «I am a monitor in the sports complexes in A Coruña, I work in the school canteen and I founded, together with Martin and Felipe Varela, also from Burello, an audiovisual production company Shalitra Audiovisual. We have been going to Santiago for training for three months now, I would come home around one in the morning and go to work the next day.

Documentary in “prime time”

His work and the work of many other fans makes Galicia a reference “with 13 or 14 clubs” after the pioneers Fillos de Breogan which he helped found in A Coruña. “They are distraught with how Gaelic football has established itself in Galicia. So much so that Irish television came to record a documentary about the tournament and broadcast it further prime time».

The king of sports in Ireland, where all the money goes to his base and international promotion

Méndez Suárez points out the “spectacular third times” of the sport that was given to him by his “family” and which he believes is “relatively easy to progress”: “Many people come to try other sports such as football, basketball, volleyball… And they immediately get the taste because you progress quickly. In six months you can be ready to compete if your physique follows you. Their special value They are another advantage of Gaelic football.

Nobody charges to play

Not a single athlete benefits financially from his performance: «Each player is in his county team, there are no signatures as such, they just change clubs due to relocation. The Dublin goalkeeper, who scored the decisive goal to win the All-Ireland title after many years, did not stay at the party because he had to work the next morning. Everything you generate with inputs — exists matches up to 86,000 spectators— and television rights, is intended for the promotion of a wide community, which has spectacular content abroad. When we spoke to their federation to tell them that we were establishing Fillos de Breogán, they asked us for an account number and gave us a deposit to buy the materials.

This is how Alberto Méndez Suárez explains the game:

Time. Two half-hour parts.

points. There are H-shaped sticks like those for rugby. The above grade gives one point; down, with the keeper, three.

Players. In Ireland they play 15 against 15; In Galicia, on conventional football pitches, due to their dimensions, they are adapted to a ratio of 9 to 9.

Ball. About 150 grams more than football. They lead it by grabbing it and passing it with kicks or thumbs or knuckles.

Rhythm. It is much more dynamic than football. There is a constant transition from defense to attack without elaboration.

physical contact. A load from shoulder to shoulder is allowed. It is legal to knock down an opponent. When he has the ball in his hands, he can only be hit with the palm of his hand. As soon as someone makes a fist, it’s a foul.

injuries. Despite its toughness, it is not “too dangerous”. The main injuries are the knee due to poor support or jumping and stretching the fingers when receiving the ball.