Dominican Soccer

Discussion in 'Caribbean' started by G5ive, Jun 13, 2009.

  1. G5ive

    G5ive Member

    Jun 11, 2009
    New York City
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    I thought I'd start this thread since I haven't seen much about Dominican Soccer in here.

    Below is the history of Dominican soccer


    Soccer (football) in the Dominican Republic
    The recent victory of the Italian soccer team signaled the end to another thrilling World Cup tournament. The World Cup, held every four years, has become one of the world’s most anticipated and watched sporting events. It has helped elevate the popularity of soccer to great heights, and has even made soccer popular in countries where other sports dominate public attention. The World Cup has been the main topic of conversation in many households around the world, and the Dominican Republic is no exception.


    You can read the whole story at http://dr1.com/articles/soccer_football.shtml


    A few videos I've gathered on a few Dominican players.

    Yohan Viola- Yohan Kely Viola Sánchez (born 21 October 1981) is a footballer from the Dominican Republic who currently plays for GC Biaschesi at Swiss 1. Liga. He previously played for FC Chiasso (2003-2004), AC Lugano (2004-2006) and FC Winterthur (2006-08) in the Swiss Challenge League.[1] He also holds an Italian passport. He is from Juan de Herrera, province San Juan de la Maguana.

    Viola made an appearance for the Dominican Republic national football team in a qualifying match for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

    If the Yohan video doesn't play, look for it on YouTube. No sound because of stupid copyright laws.

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjHOkOHIOc8"]YouTube - Viola Yohan[/ame]

    Vinicio and Jose Espinal-Eduards Vinicio Espinal Marte (born 14 November, 1982 in Santo Domingo) is arguably the best football player to emerge from the Dominican Republic. Espinal emigrated to Italy in 1991, where he played with Serie A team Atalanta B.C. and is currently playing with F.C. Crotone in Serie B. Espinal is a holding midfielder and has several caps under his belt for the Dominican Republic.

    They are both from the Villa Olimpica section of SD. I managed to get 2 short videos.

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olAoyCbvKLM&feature=player_embedded"]YouTube - Fc Crotone | Vota il gol più bello | 09, rete di Vinicio Espinal[/ame]
    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39SZSUD33s4&feature=player_embedded"]YouTube - Fc Crotone | Vota il gol più bello | 08, rete di Vinicio Espinal[/ame]

    Heinz Barmettler Veloz-(born July 21, 1987)[1] is a footballer from Switzerland who currently plays as defender for FC Zurich in the Swiss Super League. He was part of the 2006-07 Swiss Championship winning team. His mother is Dominican and his Father is Swiss. Last UEFA cup this kid was placed against Ronaldinho.

    [​IMG]

    Javier Santana- (born 16 October 1988) is an Dominican footballer currently playing for FC Schaffhausen on loan from FC Zurich.

    [​IMG]

    Víctor Núñez Rodríguez (born 15 April 1980 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic[1]) is a Costa Rican professional football (soccer) player who currently plays for Liberia Mia in the Primera Division de Costa Rica.

    Victor "El Mambo" Núñez is originally from the Dominican Republic but he moved to Costa Rica when he was 14 years old.[2] He received a Costa Rican passport in 2003.
    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Dt0gAty0jA&feature=player_embedded"]YouTube - darrisa mex - Alajuelense, 13/05/2007, Segundo gol[/ame]
    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT22uRNBkd8"]YouTube - Victor Nuñez vs Puntarenas[/ame]


    There might be a few others upcoming Dominican soccer players, and for the last time YES Dominicans play soccer.

    If you have any other players, news about Dominican soccer put it here.
     
  2. Catracho_Azul

    Catracho_Azul Member+

    Jun 16, 2008
    New Orleans
    Club:
    Corinthians Sao Paulo
    Nat'l Team:
    Honduras
    only a matter of time till you guys start developing something like PR and Cuba are doing. can't wait to see more of you guys.
     
  3. G5ive

    G5ive Member

    Jun 11, 2009
    New York City
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    I'm not Dominican dude, I'm Salvadorian :D GF is Dominican, but I agree with you on the developing something like Cuba and PR
     
  4. MLSn00b

    MLSn00b Member

    Apr 3, 2008
    New York
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm actually of a Dominican background (my parents are Dominican), so once in a while I dig for info on Dominican footballers. Here's a couple more.

    Jonathan Fana Frias: Striker, W Connection. April 11, 1987. Has 5 caps with the national team scoring 5 goals. Didn't find any videos of him, but he's been on a good scoring run with W Connection.

    [​IMG]
    Henry Alexander Diaz: Midfield 8/2/91 SV Austria Salzburg. If I'm not mistaken his nickname is "The Purple Warrior" because of the team's color and his demeanor. There were a couple rumors that Napoli and AC Milan were interested in him. Dont really know how much truth there were to those rumors, but its possible that he may have had a trial with Napoli, so...

    A few more images @ http://www.austria-salzburg.at/en/team/henry-alexander-diaz/

    I'll post a few more later.
     
  5. G5ive

    G5ive Member

    Jun 11, 2009
    New York City
    Club:
    FC Barcelona

    Yeah man here is the official word from Goal.com Napoli and Milan want him, that's big! http://www.goal.com/es-la/news/703/...oli-estan-detras-del-joven-dominicano-henry-d
     
  6. brentgoulet

    brentgoulet Member+

    Oct 12, 2005
    PuertoPlata, DomRep
    All but one (Jonathan Faña) of these players have in common that they were raised outside the Dom Rep

    I have always stated that Dominicanos do have the necesary talent but that their country is a very bad place to devellop soccer skills
     
  7. brentgoulet

    brentgoulet Member+

    Oct 12, 2005
    PuertoPlata, DomRep
    That Victor Nuñez was a part of the Costa Rican selection for the 2006 World Cup in Germany
     
  8. MLSn00b

    MLSn00b Member

    Apr 3, 2008
    New York
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
    Jonathan Fana Frias

    [​IMG]
    Luis Radhames Vazquez: Midfielder, Friska Viljor (Swiss 2nd Division).
     
  9. FARFAN 17

    FARFAN 17 Member

    Jan 29, 2005
    Back in NJ :(
    Club:
    CA River Plate
    Nat'l Team:
    Peru
    When I visited Santo Domingo I saw plenty of people playing soccer, particularly beach soccer. And I did see a few fields. My nephews played a lot, and are both pretty good and they learned to play there so I assume that there can be plenty of talent out there.
     
  10. MLSn00b

    MLSn00b Member

    Apr 3, 2008
    New York
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yeah I've seen kids playing soccer in San Pedro, which the "Land of the shortstops" as many baseball fans know it.
     
  11. G5ive

    G5ive Member

    Jun 11, 2009
    New York City
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    True, "El Mambo' Nuñez was the first Dominican born player ever to have been to a World Cup. He's also played some 2010 qualifiers for the Costa Rican team,
     
  12. uclacarlos

    uclacarlos Member+

    Aug 10, 2003
    east coast
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
    I haven't been to La Republica in a decade :( but one thing that the nation has going against it is linked to the exact reason why other baseball countries are branching off into soccer: for most, baseball is an expensive sport to play.

    That gets countered in SD by the myth/reality that Dominicans make can make bank playing beisbol. In San Pedro and elsewhere, this is palpable.

    Baseball's hegemony is such that boys find extremely creative ways to practice the sport in limited space and/or w/ limited equipment. They invent games that can be played by 2 or 3 or 4 boys and in essence practice necessary skills for the real game. I remember driving and walking through the streets and seeing kids play a variety of games revolving around batting skills, whereas in the US kids play catch or pickle but not that many batting games.

    Plus you can tell that MLB teams dump equipment off by the shipload in certain areas.

    That simply doesn't happen in Cuba and Puerto Rico. As a result, you barely see boys playing baseball in Cuba and PR.

    Like I said, it's been over 10 years since I've been there, so things may have changed.
     
  13. MLSn00b

    MLSn00b Member

    Apr 3, 2008
    New York
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think things have changed slightly. I can't really say anything factual or concrete because these were only my observations during small periods of time. But the last couple of times I've gone I've found that kids are playing a slightly wider variety of sports. I've seen more kids playing basketball on courts that have been built or make shift ones in streets with light traffic. I've also seen kids playing soccer in the street although not nearly as many as I saw playing basketball.
     
  14. G5ive

    G5ive Member

    Jun 11, 2009
    New York City
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    I was in DR 3 months ago, and what MLSN00b is saying is right, you'll see more kids playing different sports other than baseball. You'll go to a bar and they'll have soccer on 1 screen and baseball on the other.

    You can also read soccer news in the sport sections of newspapers like Listin Diario, you'll read about the European teams and their players. People down in DR are more aware of who Ronaldinho is, they're a bit more knowledgeable about soccer now.

    Like I said, it's just a matter of time.
     
  15. brentgoulet

    brentgoulet Member+

    Oct 12, 2005
    PuertoPlata, DomRep
    ''You can also read soccer news in the sport sections of newspapers like Listin Diario, you'll read about the European teams and their players. People down in DR are more aware of who Ronaldinho is, they're a bit more knowledgeable about soccer now.''

    Correct, 15 years ago there was NO space for soccer in the newspaper, now it is getting different

    ''Like I said, it's just a matter of time.''

    in 20, 30 or 40 years from now things should be already a lot better
     
  16. brentgoulet

    brentgoulet Member+

    Oct 12, 2005
    PuertoPlata, DomRep
    ''myth/reality that Dominicans make can make bank playing beisbol.''

    In Puerto Plata where I live, a guy of 15 got signed by Len Wolf and the Oakland Athletics and received almost 4 million US, well, let's now try to motivate his friends and neighbours to play soccer, it will be pretty hard I guess

    ''Plus you can tell that MLB teams dump equipment off by the shipload in certain area''

    Not only that, but some MLB teams have also youth academies here
     
  17. brentgoulet

    brentgoulet Member+

    Oct 12, 2005
    PuertoPlata, DomRep
    Another promise is Gonzalo Frechilla, born in 1990, who plays in Argentina I believe with Nueva Chicago
     
  18. G5ive

    G5ive Member

    Jun 11, 2009
    New York City
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    I would dare to say that the moment a Dominican soccer player get's signed to an important European club, for either 6 or 7 figures, that will make Dominicans look at soccer a bit more closely.

    That would have a great physchological effect on Dominican kids, they'll see that baseball is not the only sport that can put you in the spot light.
    We have to see what happens with the kid that Milan and Napoli want.
     
  19. brentgoulet

    brentgoulet Member+

    Oct 12, 2005
    PuertoPlata, DomRep
    Correct, and in the meanwhile all these ''stars'' playing pro soccer outside the country should come back to their homeland for a soccer promotion campaign

    And of course, things are getting better, because 10 or 15 or 20 years ago the DR had not that amount of pro soccer players

    But this is the merit of migration, not of the soccer federation
     
  20. Latin Pride

    Latin Pride Member

    Aug 1, 2004
    In your house
    Club:
    Olimpia Asuncion
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    They seem to have some good talent, you wonder why they don't do better internationaly.

    Dominicans are also good atheles so they defenently have the potential to be a strong team if they where to embrace the sport a bit more.
     
  21. G5ive

    G5ive Member

    Jun 11, 2009
    New York City
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    You're 100% right.

    I've always said the same thing, I agree.
     
  22. MLSn00b

    MLSn00b Member

    Apr 3, 2008
    New York
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yep, also in Argentina is Kevin Almonsy, who is 15. He's with Club Atletico Tigre's youth team. He's already met with Pedro Martinez and Dominican president Leonel Fernandez.

    On the subject of academies, River Plate has actually set up an academy/summer camp in the DR.

    Official site:http://www.riverplatecaribe.com/campamento.html
     
  23. brentgoulet

    brentgoulet Member+

    Oct 12, 2005
    PuertoPlata, DomRep
  24. DaSage

    DaSage New Member

    Oct 27, 2008
    San Juan Puerto Rico
    Well technically that Academy is runned by River Plate Puerto Rico, which is basically River Plate Caribbean.

    The team that went over to the Dominican Republic and beat the Haitian and Dominican champions was River Plate Ponce.
     
  25. MLSn00b

    MLSn00b Member

    Apr 3, 2008
    New York
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    No major news, but Henry- Alexander Diaz has disappeared form Austria Salzburg's Senior team roster (although a team picture that includes him remains).

    Javier Santana's loan spell with FC Schaffhausen has ended and he is back with FC Zurich (and if I'm not mistaken he was on the roster for on of their friendlies, but did not play).

    Johnathan Frias is 9th in the TT Pro League in goals with 3 in the 4 matches he's started. His Dominican teammate, goalkeeper Miguel Troncoso, has started 3 matches.
     

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