Ieltsin Camōes: Halfway around the world, but the journey has only started
Ieltsin Camōes was born in Angola in the southern part of Africa, but today he plies his trade in the far north of the world. Flying from his birthplace Luanda to his club in Tromsø takes you about a quarter of the way around the globe. It has been far from a straightforward journey for Ieltsin Camōes.
He was only a year old when his parents moved to Lisbon to pursue a better life for the family. It quickly became clear that young Ieltsin was absolutely mad about football. Whether it was a piece of paper or a doll's head, it became a ball for Ieltsin to kick around.
Spotted by Sporting
Today he stands 188 centimeters tall, but growing up he was quite small, and his mother had some difficulty convincing local clubs to accept her son as a player. But just as she would later find ways to support his career, she managed, and Ieltsin got to play, even though he was a few years younger and much smaller than the other kids.
Ieltsin proved his talent in Lisbon to such an extent that the giants Sporting spotted him, and he was accepted into their academy. Cristiano Ronaldo, Luís Figo, Paulo Futre, Nani, João Moutinho, Simão Sabrosa, Ricardo Quaresma… the list of talent coming out of Sporting is very impressive. And he played alongside the likes of Thierry Correia of Valencia, Luís Maximiano who was recently with Lazio and Daniel Bragança who is making a name for himself at Sporting.
Rafael Leão the artist
But the biggest name, and a player that Ieltsin both admires and calls a friend, was Rafael Leão. The two kids connected and actually share Angola in common, as Leão’s father is from there. They still stay in touch today, but professional football makes it hard for them to catch up.
- Leão was really good, but you never know who will stand out in such an environment. He had the same flair and pace as he does today, and the level was extremely high.
- Rafael Leão and his lifestyle are completely different from mine now, and the Italian schedule is as well, so even if we wanted to, we could not meet up. But we stay in touch, and I cheer for him and his success.
- I am a big fan of his game. The way he plays football in a free way is amazing. He is basically an artist. He plays the game like he did in the streets, and he has always been that way.
- My time at Sporting was good, and I am proud to have worked with top professionals including coaches, players, and all the staff. It was very competitive, and many players had to leave their families, so it could be very tough. But it is a choice you have to make at a young age, deciding whether to pursue football or not. Everyone in the country wants to be there.
However, not long after, Ieltsin was forced to leave the academy.
Moving to Manchester
When Ieltsin was 14, his parents were once again looking to improve their living situation. They had some family in Manchester and decided to relocate, and to this day that is their home. As an adolescent, Ieltsin had little say and simply followed along. In his mind, England was a great football nation, so he believed he could prosper. He enrolled with Macclesfield, playing as a schoolboy, but it was not the same as the academy in Lisbon.
After a few years, the young boy showed the maturity of a man and asked his family to let him move to Portugal on his own to pursue his dream.
The wrong route in Ronaldo’s hometown
His mother once again proved she could make things happen and got him a chance to play in front of scouts at a showcase.
- My parents have always been very supportive, so when I told them I wanted to move back, there were no issues. My mum acted like my agent and got me a showcase in front of scouts. I was recruited by Nacional on Madeira, and since then I have joined Maritimo.
Staying on the island of Madeira and living in Funchal, which Cristiano Ronaldo has made quite famous in the football world, he joined União Almeirim, which had an exciting project. But things didn’t go as planned.
- It was a step down, but I wanted to play at that time. I played there for three or four months, but then Covid came, and everything was shut down.
- I then joined Alverca but suffered a serious injury and needed an operation. At that time, it felt like I was just taking one step down after another. The route I was supposed to take ended up feeling like I was just going the wrong way.
“Without thinking, I just said no. But he said to me, “You are not playing in Portugal and it’s a lower level, what do you have to lose?”
A message on Instagram led to the best career decision
As things were turning sour, Ieltsin received a message on Instagram. He was reluctant at first but then was challenged by this unknown man.
- One day, I was contacted on Instagram by an intermediary who had contacts in Scandinavia. It was about a move to the fourth division in Sweden, so I told him it was too low for me. Without thinking, I just said no. But he said to me, "You are not playing in Portugal and it’s a lower level, what do you have to lose?" I am thankful to him today, and we are still in contact. It was my destiny to go there. It turned out to be the best decision of my career.
- Skellefteå FF was the right club for me, where I got a professional contract and didn’t need to worry about anything other than football. I scored 11 goals in the first 18 games of the half season after I joined. Then, in the full season, I scored 26 goals in 26 games.
- This helped me build my confidence and love for the game. I had taken so many steps back and suffered a serious injury, so finally being able to enjoy this success was great. It was, of course, on another level, but it was the level I needed.
The goals caught the attention of other clubs, and as his contract expired with Skellefteå FF, Ieltsin signed with IK Brage. It was two divisions higher in the Swedish football pyramid, but this didn’t stop him from scoring goals. He produced 26 goals and 8 assists, which led to a major development in his career: being bought by a professional club.
Breathtaking beauty in Tromsø
It’s a nice experience for Ieltsin Camões to live in Tromsø, and it was the same when he was signed.
- It was a fun moment to sign for Tromsø as I had never experienced that before. Being signed by a club for a rather large sum of money and feeling that people want to invest in you.
- Over the course of my life, I have moved from place to place, but I really like Scandinavia. I am surprised at how beautiful life is here in Tromsø. The view and the environment are breathtaking every day, and the people are very nice. I can’t complain about anything.
- I am still learning on the football pitch and look forward to doing my best for Tromsø. I am thankful to have scored a few goals already and hope to contribute a lot more.
At the time of writing this interview, he has scored three goals in the Norwegian Eliteserien in just 31 minutes of playing time. In the NM Cup, he has contributed a goal and three assists.
On the right track
At this stage of his career, Ieltsin feels he has his career on the right track.
- It’s been a rollercoaster, but I feel I am on the right track now. I can’t say what will happen, but I will try to take it as far as possible. If I reach a top-six league, I would be really happy.
- I don’t have long-term goals, but it would be my dream to play for Benfica, even more than Real Madrid or any other club. It would be the ultimate dream. I was also a fan of Benfica when I played in the Sporting academy.
- If the Angola national team ever spots me, I think that could be an exciting opportunity. But so far, they have not reached out. I feel like I am half Angolan, half Portuguese. Everything I learned growing up was Portuguese, but of course my family taught me a lot about Angola.
Having recently turned 26, it’s still too early for Ieltsin to consider life after football, but maybe there never will be one.
- The way I know myself and how much I love football, I am not sure I will be able to live without it.
Advice to a young Ieltsin
If he had to do it all again, this is what the striker would say to himself.
- Everyone’s path is different. Don’t look at other players and think you need to give up because you’re not there yet. When I was part of a big academy, I only wanted to go up, not down. But you need to deal with setbacks and come back stronger.
- My overall advice to young players is that with competition today and levels getting higher and higher, you really have to love the game. You need to want it deeply if you want to make it. It’s the best way to stay in it. At amateur levels, you have to do everything yourself and it’s difficult to be consistent. When you become a pro, you can focus.
- I was always seen as a player with a lot of talent and potential, but I didn’t always make the right decisions. I was moving from place to place, which was tough, but it taught me to adapt quickly to new environments. Had I been more consistent, I might be playing at a higher level today. Still, I firmly believe in myself, and you have to remember why you started and trust the process.
- My message is: Be friendly, be humble. Focus on yourself more than the person next to you. We often make the mistake of comparing ourselves to others for many reasons. Focus on yourself and you will be more successful. Mind your own business and concentrate on how great you can be, no matter what you are doing.
Ieltsin is still working to improve himself not only through training and performing but also by studying movements and skills from players such as Alexander Isak, Paul Pogba and Neymar. His journey started in Luanda, and combining all his travels from Angola, Portugal, England, Sweden and Norway, he has covered a distance halfway around the world.
But in many ways, his journey has only just begun.