While most Cambodian players will be familiar to locals, there are a whole heap of other unknown stars gracing our shores. Today we take a look at Elias Mesquita of the Timor-Leste football team.
As ASEAN’s newest member, very little was known about the football players of the country. That was until they finished 3rd, as well as knocked out Cambodia in the AFF Under 22 Championship last year.
To read about Timor-Leste joining ASEAN click here
This result led to lots of interest in their players, with national captain Mouzinho moving first to Angkor Tiger and more recently to big spending Visakha FC. Could this mean more players coming? We certainly think so, with Elias Mesquita being near the top of that bunch.
To read our interview with Mouzinho click here.
Who is Elias Mesquita?
Elias Joao da Costa Ximenes Mesquita (born 27 March 2002) is currently a forward for the Timor-Leste national team, as well as Assalam FC, he previously played for Lalenok United F.C. the 2019 national champions.
His personal stats are impressive, having played 10 games and scoring 2 goals for the national under 23 team, as well as now having 6 full caps for the national team. He is expected to play a key role for East Timor in the upcoming SEA Games.
We sat down for a chat with him about all things football….
Elias Mesquita what’s your footballing background?
Elias Mesquita – Right now I’m playing with Assalam but I used to play for Lalenok United, a team I won 5 trophies with. With Lalenok, I’ve also played in the AFC Cup against PSM Makassar over the course of two legs in 2020, giving me some valuable continental experience.
At the international level, I’ve also been playing with the Timor-Leste national team for sometime now, making my debut in 2019. I have many years of experience under my belt and as one of the senior players, hope to use that to help my team in the 2023 SEA Games.
How far can Timor-Leste go in the SEA Games?
Elias Mesquita – Anything is possible in football and with the right attitude and belief, we can overcome any challenge. Every team in our group will think that they have a good chance of qualifying and that will make things possibly harder for us. Regardless, we will be positive and work hard to do our best.
Which timor players should we watch out for?
Elias Mesquita – The whole team is talented but if I had to name some of them that fans may not be paying attention initially, I would say perhaps myself, Jhon Frith, Olagar Xavier, Mario Quintao and Cristevao Fernandes
We’ve seen Mouzinho do great since he came to Cambodia, is that a route you would consider?
Elias Mesquita – Mouzinho is a real inspiration for us. He has helped open doors for a lot of us in Cambodia by showcasing his skills. I would love to go to Cambodia like Mouzinho if a chance was presented. Football in Timor Leste is good but Mouzinho did share that being a foreign player really forces you to step up.
In the future where would you like to end up?
Elias Mesquita – I would love to play at the highest possible stage. Maybe somewhere in Europe but to play there requires a lot of work and it won’t be easy.
Who will win the SEA Games?
Elias Mesquita – It’s hard to say. Every team is going to field their strongest team but I know my fellow Timor Leste players including myself will do whatever we can to clinch that gold medal.
Timor-Leste will open the tournament against Cambodia in Phnom Penh on the 29th April.This article is adapted from BPVE, (https://bpve.com/) reported and edited from the great team – Cambodia Sports Review. (https://www.cambodiasportsreview.com/)
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