Jassie Vasconcelos is a new signing and she is "honored" to wear Benfica's jersey

Josiane Catarina Vasconcelos Costa is the fourth and latest signing of the women's football team of Sport Lisboa e Benfica. After Dani Neuhaus, Daiane Rodrigues and Carlota Cristo, the 23-year-old Portuguese player, known as Jassie, joins the group that will play the Promotion National Championship in 2018/19.

“I feel proud, I feel honored to be able to wear the Sacred Mantle and I hope it all goes well. I'm a player that likes to have to ball. I like to dribble, I like to create plays, assist my teammates and win matches, win titles”, said the player to BTV.

Jassie Vasconcelos, as she is known in the football world, was born in Paranhos (Porto) and she started playing football in the neighborhood where she lived, at three/four years of age. She played futsal from seven to nine years at Clube Fatigados, among boys, in the São Tomé neighborhood, also in Porto. Ate the age of 12, she switched to handball, where went through the youth ranks and represented the National Team, having even participated in a European Championship.

In 2015 she emigrated to Wales with her mother and felt the urge to return to football. She went to a trial at Pilcs FC, a club from the Welsh League and, after one training session, she was signed. In the following season, Cardiff Met, from the same League, invited here and the fact the team was in the Champions League Qualifying stage played a huge part in the decision.

“I always played football since I was little. I switched to handball, but my love as always been football. My move to Wales was due to my parents' separation. I went to live with my mother. I asked her to go back to playing football, she found a team, I went to the first training session and I stayed there for a season. I think it was crucial to start in the English League, which is very good, as much as the Portuguese League, but now I am focused on returning to my country, learn, develop and help Benfica in everything”, stated Jassie.

In 2017 she had a new invitation, this time from Cardiff City Ladies, of the English League, where she will remain, with a contract until the end of the season.

In the meantime Jassie was called up for the National Team for the first time, making her debut in September 2017.

“I loved the experience of going to the National Team. To represent Benfica is something that I am proud of. The only word that is applicable to Benfia is winning and it is for that that I am going to work, such as the rest of the team. I have to work and give my best to win titles and I hope that in the next season the fans come and support us because an extra support is fundamental ”, she said.

Text: Márcia Dores

Pics: SL Benfica