Jose Garcia was raised in Riverlea and enjoys playing the game

Professional South African soccer player, Jose Garcia (27) has continuously strived towards his goals in the footballing profession

The attacking midfielder departed from his former club, Highlands Park FC in December 2016 to sign with Baroka FC.

“It’s like a family here. Everyone motivates each other to do better, not only on the field but off the field as well,” he said.

Garcia was raised in Riverlea and from a young age, he felt inspired by the local footballers in his community.

He recalls watching local legends like Johnny Brace, Oswil Swarts, Brandon O’Reilly and ‘Money eyes’ in his quest to sharpen his skills on the field.

“I always went to the field with Johnny Brace and he would arrange some drills for me to do,” said Garcia.

At the tender age of seven, fuelled by the desire to make it in the sport, he signed his first professional contract at age 19 with F.C.A.K. for the National First Division.

He spent his youth playing for Riverlea and later made a number of moves to teams like Florida Albion, Commodores and Bidvest Wits.

Garcia explained that being able to play soccer alongside his friends, whether in the streets or on a field and participating in small tournaments cultivated him into a better player.

“My friends always used to have an appetite for the game no matter the time,” he said.

Garcia believes that his effort and consistency in the game has helped him to succeed professionally.

He said, “I always had faith in my ability to play professional football, but sometimes it felt far-fetched. I guess my consistency towards the game paid off.”

“No matter where you come from, no matter the struggle, if you have a dream (no matter the sport) God, hard work, humility, faith, respect and self-belief, any door will be opened to you.” he said.

Garcia believes that football changed his life for the better. He explained that his circumstances could have left him without a vision for his future, but football led him on a better path.

“Because of football I think everything changed for the better,” he said.

Football has also taught the Baroka FC star a lot.

“It’s shown me how to respect other people, it’s taught me discipline, how to work hard and it’s helped me understand different backgrounds, languages and cultures,” said Garcia.

The footballer also aims to showcase his talent internationally.

“There’s a lot that I would like to accomplish,” he explained.

Garcia would love to give back to his community one day by introducing an annual Olympic Games for the community which would include a number of other sports.

Through it all, Garcia credits the support and motivation of his family for the successes he is reaping.

“They’re the ones that always call and text me to keep me going, whether in good or bad times,” he said.

You can catch the soccer star on the field or keep up with him off the field by following him on Instagram on the handle @joka_bonita_sa.

Follow the official Baroka FC Facebook page for more information and team updates, or take a look at the official Baroka FC site

For more news follow us on these platforms:

Twitter: @SowetoUrban, Facebook: Soweto Urban News, Instagram: @SowetoUrban

News site 1: Westside-Eldos Urban News, News site 2: Soweto Urban News