In 2018, at the age of 10, Carlos began his journey with Inter Campus alongside some friends, all from the same barrio in Managua. In four years within the Nicaraguan project, under the equally careful and affectionate guidance of the coaches who have followed one another over these years (from Arquimedes to Cesar, from Wilber to David and Allan), Carlos has, by his own admission, decidedly changed. Undoubtedly aided by that age where changes are more visible than at others, and by the fact that today, at 14 years old, he is one of the eldest children participating in Inter Campus activities, Carlos now says he has “a lot of self-confidence! I always try my best, both on the field and at school! Because among the many things I’ve learned over these years is certainly that it’s okay to make mistakes, and I’m not afraid to do so, because next time it will be better! Of course, on the field it’s easier. If I’m in difficulty, I turn around and look for a teammate to pass the ball to, but at school, sometimes we are like a team too!”

In June, the fourteen-year-old will have to leave the project, as do all his peers at Inter Campus. But as he says it, he smiles, which ultimately seems strange. Then Allan and David, the two coaches who have followed him over these years, explain the meaning of the smile, because they have seen others like it: “It’s true, at fourteen they stop training with us, but they never leave us. They return to the field, see friends they met during training, and certainly don’t stop wearing the Nerazzurri jersey.” Carlos was smiling because what he learned with Inter Campus he will carry with him forever.