“Football is my life”: How a young coach is scoring goals for peace in Colombia

On this World Football Day, we present the powerful story of Juan David (or Profe Juanda), a football coach at Fundación Goles por la Paz, in northern Bucaramanga, Colombia. He joined the programme when he was just 10 years old and, now at 18, he’s still very much a kid in his heart, but an amazing leader to our younger participants (including his little brother, Pedro). 

Juanda has made football his life project. He’s currently pursuing a degree in Sport Education at Unidades Tecnológicas de Santander, and under the guidance of Goles’ co-founder and director, Wily, he helps coach football youth clubs in the surrounding communities.  

Juanda is a great example of how Goles’ programme embodies the IEP’s Pillars of Positive Peace, particularly ‘High Levels of Human Capital’ – not just Juanda, but he has made football an essential part of his life and illustrates the power of the sport as an energiser of peace, from the individual to the community level. 

His passion for the sport continues to grow. More recently, Juanda has discovered a new passion in table tennis, training with the children and teens as part of a Goles’ partnership with Club Deportivo Federico (of Fundación Federico).  

Read more about his story in his own words: 

How did you find out about the foundation, and what was it like on your first day at the organization as a child? 

The first day I came to Goles por la Paz, it was all thanks to some friends from my neighbourhood, Santos Bajos. They told me there was training and they were holding psychological workshops. So, as a good friend, I decided to go with them. I remember being nervous that first day because meeting new teachers and new kids is a little nerve-wracking for a 10-year-old. But that’s how it all started, and it was the best. 

What motivated you to stay, and what inspired you to want to be a leader at Goles? 

What really inspired me to stay was the training. Football, yes? I felt that I was connected to sports from a very young age, and thanks to that, I was able to stay and keep improving every day.  

What did being part of Goles mean to you back then, and what does it mean to you today? 

For me, going to Goles back then meant fun. Fun, going to share... And today, for me, Goles is a family, something I’m committed to, something where I have my responsibilities, and I love doing this, I love my work, and that’s what Goles for Peace means. 

Besides football technique, what “life skills” did you learn here that have been most useful to you? 

Besides football, a key foundation that I always remember is life projects. How I project my ideas to achieve them in the future, what path I choose, what habits I can adopt. And this involves many things, but if we have a good life plan, we can see great results, just as I was able to achieve. 

What drives you to continue being part of this project after so many years? 

What motivates me most to continue with Goles after so many years is everything we see here. All these people, the kids, my teammates, the neighbourhood... all of this motivates me. It’s what makes me grow as a person, that’s what allows me to keep going at Goles every day. 

If you could talk to that child you were years ago, what would you tell him now that you’re the coach? 

I would tell my younger self to keep training, to stay passionate, that even if many challenges come, not to stop and keep going, that many great things are coming for him, and that I love him very much. 

Why do you think projects like Goles are so important for the community? 

I think that projects like the ones we offer at Goles are very important for the community, since they allow children to start and progress to things that are uncommon, right? That's a very good thing, that Goles’ projects are also international — bringing together different cultures. These projects give us a very different vision and perspective. 

Today, you’re a role model for many young people. How does it feel to see that you're now guiding the next generation? 

It feels great to know that I’m already working with many children and young people, and the idea is to develop many more leaders who can continue the work I started, so that it doesn't stop, but rather continues to progress year after year. 

On this World Football Day, what message would you give to people about the power of sport to transform lives?  

Football as a sport can lead to many transformations — physical, mental, and social. And I invite everyone on World Football Day to continue supporting football, which is a beautiful sport that opens doors, allows us to meet wonderful people, and may football continue to grow every day.  

Finally, what does football mean to you? 

Well, nowadays football is my essential tool every day. Every day I wake up and thank God for what He gave me, which is football. Thanks to football, today I am a man who works, who is active in this sport. And well, I can truly say that football is my life.