USL Feature Series: Keep an Eye on This Girl
During the next few months USLsoccer.com will highlight the on-the-field stars of the W-League by getting to know their personalities off the field. Up next: Edite Fernandes of the Santa Clarita Blue Heat and current Portuguese National Team captain. Fernandes finished fourth in the W-League in goals scored, points and assists in 2011 with the Blue Heat and was named an MVP finalist and a member of the All-League Team. Fernandes began her career with Boavista in Portugal, and between her time there and with fellow Portuguese First Division club 1º Dezembro earned nine league titles and three Portuguese Cup titles. Since then, Fernandes has played in China, England and Spain, most recently playing for Atletico Madrid before joining the Blue Heat.
Full name : Edite Cristiana Fernandes
Club: Santa Clarita Blue Heat
Head Coach: Charles Martinez
Born: October 10, 1979, Vila do Conde - Portugal
Nickname: Dites
Position: Forward
Inspire me the most: God and faith in him.
Playing strengths: Maybe technique and speed.
Need a bit of work: I always try to get better in everything.
Favorite player: Among male players, Raul (ex-Real Madrid) and João Vieira Pinto (Portuguese ex-player); as far as female players, the ex-Swedish player Hanna Ljungberg.
Tell us about your coach: Respectful, hard-working, intelligent and he knows a lot about soccer. He’s the perfect coach for us.
Biggest career highlight: My first international for Portugal and the precise moment I heard the national anthem. It was an exciting moment. And the fact that I already have 100 internationals.
Biggest practical joker: Well, the strangest “joke” that happened to me as a player was a time I scored a goal and the referee said the ball had entered through a hole in the net.
Advice I would give to young girls following in my footsteps: Work hard and be humble. A lot of effort and spirit of sacrifice is also needed. Go and look for your dreams. I did it and I managed to do what I wanted. Soccer gave me everything in life. It has been my “school”. You must believe in yourselves.
I’m stranded on a small island. Things I’d want with me: Definitely, a soccer ball. I would also like to have paper and something to write with so that I could write my life story.
Tunes I’m listening to: The new Pitbull tune with Jennifer Lopez. In general, pop music.
Best movie seen recently: I don’t see a lot of movies, but the last one I saw was “The Vow”.
Retro item I wish would make a comeback: I would choose to go back to my childhood for 24 hours, because it was a beautiful part of my life spent with my family and I would like to live that again. I miss that time of my life a lot.
Favorite movie: To be honest, I think I’m a romantic person and I like dramas and romantic movies as well. One of my favorite movies is called “The Notebook“, based on Nicholas Sparks’ book.
Describe yourself in a few words: A stubborn person (I never give up what I believe or what I want), humble, simple-minded, good friend, and cheerful.
Finish this!
I can’t get enough of... playing soccer.
I spend my money on... what I find necessary.
My fashion style is... the simplest: jeans and t-shirt.
Technology and social media is... something really essential nowadays, mainly because it’s a very useful way of keeping in touch with my family and friends and with the world as a whole.
Over time I’ve learned... that we must help one another and always keep our friends and family.
Sometimes I need to... be all by myself, to be in my own world.
Every day I try to... be a better person than the day before.
I’m thankful for... doing what I like the most: playing soccer.
My biggest influence... is my family.
I used to... sleep a lot.
I always... pray to live a happy life along with those I love the most.
I have a friend... who’s my biggest confidant.
I play a bit like... Edite (myself).
If I wasn’t playing soccer I’d be... A lawyer. I also dreamed of being one someday.
In five years I see myself... I don’t know. Future belongs to God.