Phoenix midfielders Diego Walsh and Daniel Lins Côrtes grew up playing futsal in their native Brazil and have set up a school in Wellington to share their skills with local kids.
FUTSAL has always been part of everyday life for Phoenix players Diego Walsh and Daniel Lins Côrtes.
“Most schools in Brazil are very small so there’s not always a lot of space for a soccer pitch, so we used to play on a basketball court,” says Walsh. “Most basketball courts have goals on both ends. After school I would play futsal with my friends in the street, then at night I would play with my club team. Daniel and I loved futsal growing up so I feel that we have the expertise to share our experience with kids here in Wellington.”
Walsh left Brazil aged 14 when his family immigrated to America. He didn’t speak any English.
“It was challenging but it made me stronger. I got involved with a youth team, settled and eventually did     quite well in school,” he says.
He adjusted well to a new style of play and is full of praise for the structure of the American league.
“For me growing up in America playing soccer was a dream come true. The leagues there are very organised both at school and club level. There is a real opportunity to progress and become successful,” he says.
Walsh was offered a sholarship to Brown, an Ivy League University, but turned it down. Instead he chose Dallas University where he completed a Bachelor Degree in Business.
“I was concerned Brown was only interested in the sporting side of things and not the academic side. I took a scholarship with Dallas. They offered a complete package with a good balance between education and sport. I wanted go to school in case I got injured playing football and had to retire, and most importantly the university soccer team was in the top 20 nationally,” he says.
His decision paid off and he was included in the prestigious National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) all-American team of the year in 2001 and 2002. Other players previously named in the NCAA team of the year include USA world cup players John Harkes and Maurice Edu, as well as New Zealand’s own Ryan Nelson.
Futsal emphasises skill and players enjoy more contact ball than they do playing on a full size football pitch.
Before Walsh signed up for Phoenix, he played alongside Brazilian legend Romário - his country’s third all-time leading goalscorer.
“He was a truly world class player and playing with him was magical. We were teammates at Miami FC where he was the leading goalscorer in the league at 40 years old, then we both signed for Adelaide United. His finishing was unbelievable, any ball that came into the box if he had time he would score,” he says.
Romario and Walsh used to train with futsal balls with both Miami FC and Adelaide. Walsh testifies to the improvements that the game can bring to players.
“It just complements football. There are many benefits, because it’s a small court with fewer players you have to play and think quicker, and you get more touches. Your vision and ball control improve as well as your short passing, footwork and technique,” he says.
Diego was completing a futsal coaching course with teammate Daniel when the idea of starting a samba soccer school in the capital came up.
Places at Samba Futsal Academy are limited to 60 and the course offers coaching from both Walsh and Lins Côrtes, and a few surprise visitors.
“In New Zealand it’s just starting and there are not many coaches here that grew up playing futsal. The more futsal kids play, the better it will be for New Zealand football.”

Futsal is a variant of association football played on a smaller playing surface and mainly played indoors. The game uses a futsal ball (a smaller football) and is usually played in teams of five, which includes a goalkeeper.
In Portuguese futsal is called “futebol de salão”, literally meaning football played indoors. Futsal is the most played sport in Brazil and the country is ranked number one in the world.