Bernardo Lopesa young Brazilian soccer player of just 11 years old, was the protagonist of an incredible story History of improvement Personally, by joining the Botafogo club academy and fulfilling a sporting dream that seemed impossible after a domestic accident that burned a large part of his face.
Born in the neighborhood Saint Elizabeth in São GonçaloRio de Janeiro, Lopes experienced a unique situation that brought him to the brink of death: when he was one year old, he was the victim of an accidental spill of boiling water that caused severe burns and forced him to stay seven months in the hospital undergo multiple times Operations and transplants.
The extremely complex case surprised doctors, who did everything they could to restore much of the burned skin. The seriousness of the matter gave rise to suspicion that the little one He wouldn’t be able to survive the entire operation that ultimately saved his life..
One of the refuges Lopes found was football. With an innate ability from an early age, the little boy, encouraged by his uncle Rodrigo, took his first steps in football school CT Menino de Ouro.

His talent did not go unnoticed and caught the attention of a large number of scouts and talent recruiters. The big opportunity came during a tournament in the stadium Nilton Santos -where it serves as a restaurant Botafogo– where your excellent performance This enabled him to take part in a selection process for the club’s academy. Without panicking or feeling any pressure, Lopes shone in the tests and secured a place in the club Rio de Janeiro.
After showing character and courage at the age of 11, the Botafogo board decided to secure the future of this young promise conclude a contract. This not only adds substance to the bet on the player, but also gives an emotional boost to the striker who takes part in youth tournaments and stands out for his unique talent.
His first steps at the Botafogo U11 Football Academy are a test of resilience for the young striker, who began his football career with the desire to reach the first division of the Rio team.
“There are so many reasons to be grateful… I can’t even explain how happy and grateful I am to God for everything that has happened in my life in the last few days. I only know one thing: God is always good, and without him none of this would be possible,” he emphasized in an Instagram post.
And with that in mind, he concluded: “To my Botafogo coaches: thank you for believing in my potential and my development. I can learn a lot from you and I am determined and open to it.”
His life story and his resilience are an important topic on the Brazilian media’s sports agenda. Without doubt, Bernardo LopesAt 11 years old he broke all the rules and that’s why Botafogo decided to give him a special contract that came with his parents’ approval.