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On February 6, 2020, during the most important match of their Futsal history, Alfredo de Jesus Vidalis felt that something was not right. Suddenly, he looked at the bench and immediately asked to be substituted. Evaluated by the team doctor, the player tried to sprint off the field and felt that his legs were giving out. On the pitch, his teammates continued to fight against Chile to qualify for the country's first ever Futsal World Cup. “I calmed down and tried to do what was necessary to return, but I knew it wouldn't work,” said A. Vidalis in an interview with FIFA.com. “When the final whistle blew, I forgot about the pain and disappointment of what I would miss and just celebrated."
The 27-year-old defender contributed one goal to the team's success during the qualifier. Venezuela won their last group stage match against Chile 3-2, not only reaching the semi-finals but also earning a historic ticket to the FIFA Futsal World Cup in Lithuania. “The feeling was indescribable - euphoria flooded me and everyone who loves Venezuelan futsal,” shared the player.
The next day, the worst predictions were confirmed. “The cruciate ligaments ruptured, it will take several months to recover. Although the World Cup is scheduled for September, it will be difficult to make it in time,” said Chavela, as the boy was called in Mexican soap opera. A. Vidalis prepared to say goodbye to his club in Peru and depart for Argentina - the current world champions. He watched the team's loss to Brazil in the semi-finals and Paraguay for third place as a spectator. Despite this, the returning team to Venezuela was greeted as heroes.
The joy of the footballer was overshadowed by tears - he underwent surgery on February 14. “I started my rehabilitation in Caracas with the national team physiotherapist. He told me, ‘If you work hard, I guarantee you'll be back in time for the World Cup.’ But there were those who doubted it. Indeed, the scheduled return time was quite optimistic, but I am a believer. God was with me. Then the pandemic struck. Of course, I never wish such a thing on anyone, but it gave me the time and opportunity to regain my physical form,” the player recounted.
... (continued)“We are not preparing to just participate for the sake of it - we want to compete and believe that our team can go far. The goal is to win five matches in a row. It's a big task, but we believe in it and trust in our abilities. We want to be worthy representatives of Venezuela and bring joy to our people, who deserve it. But we must be ambitious and work towards this goal,” affirmed A. Vidalis.
