Beyond the pitch

PICTURE A bustling community bar on matchday, where fans in vibrant jerseys gather together, their voices rising as they passionately debate while the English Premier League lights up the screen. Meanwhile, a backyard buzzes with the rhythmic sound of football blending with the clinking glasses of Guinness, celebrating the camaraderie of the beautiful game.

For Jamaicans, football has never been just about the 90 minutes on the pitch; it’s about the joy, the rhythm, and the togetherness that surrounds it. In the middle of that energy is John Manradge, a 22-year-old freestyle footballer from St Thomas, whose skill, discipline, and flair embody the spirit of Jamaican football and the joy that thrives far beyond stadia.

From an early age, Manradge’s love for football was evident.

“From primary school days, I loved football. I used to play football as early as 7:30 in the morning before school and then go to class, sweat up,” he jokingly recalls. “Day and night, me and football.”

His journey continued into high school at Happy Grove, where he represented his school in the daCosta Cup. It was during this time that he discovered his passion for tricks and skills, which would eventually lead him down the path of freestyle.

“This is my third year,” he explains. “I started practising skills in high school, watching YouTube videos for fun and trying to learn new tricks.”

What began as lighthearted self-training quickly transformed into hours of rigorous practice. Freestyle football lacks the traditional training structure of competitive team football, presenting its own set of challenges.

“At first I would train maybe 30 minutes, but as I grew in the freestyle community, I started three, five, six hours every day,” he shares.

“It’s kind of difficult, mentally, because you get injured and you wonder where freestyle can take you. But the mental part is what really tests you.”

Persistence paid off when he was crowned Jamaica’s National Football Freestyle Champion earlier this year. His motivation? An unwavering love for the sport, along with a determination to elevate his game, not only within Jamaica but throughout the Caribbean and the world.

“At first, it was for fun, but then I started accomplishing things, like becoming the national champion for Jamaica. So I grew from there, and I started to work on other goals, like maybe top 16 in the world,” he explained.

ASPIRATIONS

Manrade’s burgeoning catalogue of tricks has already begun to break borders. He has received an invitation to compete in the Caribbean Freestyle Championships later this year, with aspirations set on the World Freestyle Football Championships next year, an event where he hopes to join the ranks of the globe’s elite freestylers.

Manradge believes that the unique flair of Jamaican football enhances his freestyle performance. Yet, he draws inspiration from global icons such as Ronaldinho Gaucho, whose creativity and flair resonate with him, and N’Golo Kanté, whose humility and work ethic he admires.

“Kanté works hard, he’s humble, and he tries to put his best into everything,” Manradge reflects. “That reminds me of myself.”

For him, freestyle means turning impressive moves into shared connections, the same spirit Jamaicans bring to football, whether playing on the corner, gathering in a bar, or cheering together during the Guinness EPL season.

“It’s a means of expression on and off the field,” he says. “It gives people something to look forward to every day. You go out, you meet new people, you make new friends. Football brings people all over the world closer together.”

As he gazes into the future, Manradge aims to set a commendable example for younger players.

“When people mention John Manradge, I want it to be a big deal, the best freestyler in Jamaica, maybe even in the Caribbean, and hopefully soon in the world. I want younger athletes to see that they should never give up. That would be a big deal.”

With that spirit and determination, John Manradge is not just making waves in the freestyle community; he’s building a legacy that resonates far beyond the pitch.