SOCCER HEAVEN; 3 AREA PLAYERS OFF TO FRANCE.Byline: Matthew Kredell Special to the Daily News Three area soccer players have proved they can compete against the best high school players. Now they'll see how they rate against the best in the world when they travel to France for an international youth tournament. The trip, the result of France's effort to bring together young soccer players from around the world in conjunction with the World Cup, gives Gregorio Avila of Kennedy High, John Ortega Seaman John Ortega (born in 1840 in Spain), was the first Hispanic sailor to be awarded the United States' highest military decoration for valor in combat — the Medal of Honor — for having distinguished himself during the South Atlantic Blockade by the Union Naval of Birmingham and Abdullah Safdari of Chatsworth a chance of a lifetime. ``It's a great opportunity,'' Ortega said of the all-expenses-paid trip. ``I look forward to competing against players from around the world and seeing how I compare to them.'' The players will stay in Saint Denis Denis, king of Portugal: see Diniz. , a northern suburb of Paris and the site of the main stadium and final World Cup match. The trip is sponsored by the city of Saint Denis, a number of French ministries and four French radio stations. Nearly 800 athletes from 22 countries will compete in a tournament and attend a World Cup quarterfinal or semifinal match. Billed as ``Banlieunes du Monde n. 1. The world; a globe as an ensign of royalty. Le beau monde fashionable society. See Beau monde. Demi monde See Demimonde. ,'' or ``Suburbs of the World,'' the tournament will unite inner-city youths from around the globe. Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. was chosen to represent the U.S. because of its cultural mix. ``Los Angeles, much like Saint Denis, is a city where many communities live together,'' said Erwan de Kerautem, deputy cultural attache Noun 1. cultural attache - an attache who is a specialist in cultural matters attache - a specialist assigned to the staff of a diplomatic mission of the French Consulate The Consulate was the government of France from 1799 to 1804—from the fall of the Directory in the coup of 18 Brumaire until the start of the Napoleonic Empire. By extension, the term The Consulate also refers to this period of French history. . ``The kids of Saint Denis look at L.A. with great eyes in terms of its music, fashion and style.'' Avila, Ortega and Safdari have great admiration for the professional players in the World Cup. To have the opportunity to see them in the most important tournament in the sport is a dream come true. ``I had the greatest time of my life when I went to the '96 Olympics in Atlanta,'' said Avila, the only senior of the trio. ``Watching the World Cup in France should be even better.'' Not surprisingly, two of the three say players from five-time World Cup champion Brazil are their favorites. Safdari likes 21-year-old star Ronaldo, who was World Player of the Year in 1996 and 1997 and is labeled by many as the ``Michael Jordan This article is about the former basketball player. For other uses, see Michael Jordan (disambiguation). Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17 1963) is a retired American professional basketball player. of soccer.'' Ortega admires Brazil defender Roberto Carlos Roberto Carlos may refer to:
``Carlos is defensively sound and makes very few mistakes,'' said Ortega, a sophomore who led Birmingham to the semifinals this year. ``. . . He's the best defender in soccer (and) also is very explosive offensively.'' The three hope to see Brazil in the quarterfinal or semifinal match they attend, a good possibility since Brazil is a favorite to take their sixth world title. Ultimately, they'd like to be in the same position as the Brazilians: Making a living playing soccer. However, they also see the sport as a key to their education. ``We might be playing forever, but who knows?'' said Safdari, who is completing his junior year at Chatsworth. ``I want to be on the safe side.'' Avila is already college-bound. He will enter UC Santa Barbara in the fall. ``I want to play, but I need something to fall back on,'' he said. Ortega, 15, sees soccer as his road to college. He hopes to get a scholarship. A free vacation to France to do what you love the most seems like fun and games "Fun and Games" is an episode of the original The Outer Limits television show. It first aired on 30 March, 1964, during the first season. Opening narration , but these three take it seriously. ``I'm there to play soccer,'' said Safdari. ``For me, it is soccer day in and day out Adv. 1. day in and day out - without respite; "he plays chess day in and day out" all the time , whether I am playing for fun or for work. ``But seeing how France looks will be fun.'' CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO Area soccer players Greg Avila, John Ortega and Abudllah Safdari will travel to France to play in a junior tournament. John McCoy/Daily News |
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