“My favourites players are Messi, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho and the two best teams I like are Barcelona and Real Madrid,” he says.
It’s perhaps no surprise Rocha chooses three players who boast high work rates and pace when at their peak – he has those qualities himself.
Rocha, who comes from American Samoan and Phillipino extraction, was a stand-out performer for the Rupeni Luvu-coached side as they lost 4-0 to Fiji at ANZ Stadium.
His powerful running, fast feet and endurance may not have been enough to prevent defeat, but his courage and work rate at least ensured a scoreless second half.
“We did our best and it’s important to play well. Fiji were a very hard team but we did ok in the second half but it was a very tough game,” he says.
Nicknamed “Fish”, Rocha rarely goes by his first name Rafael, and he attributes the aquatic tag to his family and its sense of humour.
“They said when I was born that I had eyes like a fish, so the name stuck. I like my nickname but when I go to school, everyone calls me ‘Rafael’,” he says.
While the affection for the diminuitive midfielder among his family and team-mates is clear, Rocha also has clarity about what motivates him.
“We believe we can win our next game and we have to keep trying to do our best for our families back home.
“Everyone is proud of us and my family is proud I am playing in this competition,” he says.
American Samoa’s 4-0 defeat to Fiji was the territories best ever result at an OFC U-20 Championship, their previous best two 5-1 losses to Papua New Guinea and Fiji three years ago in New Zealand.
Rocha, like his team-mates, will be hoping for more improvement before the end of this year’s competition.
Papua New Guinea plays American Samoa in the OFC U-20 Championship on Sunday 25 May at ANZ Stadium in Suva at 5pm local time.
Their remaining matches are with Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands before a difficult final day encounter with New Caledonia on 31 May.
Ends

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