Gabriel Popal '21 Recruiting Profile

My name is Gabriel Popal and I was born and raised in Washington DC. I come from Slovak and Afghan heritage. I am a high school junior currently playing LB for Arlington Soccer Association, with prior experience as LW and CB. I started playing soccer at the age of 5 and am proud to come from a family of successful soccer players. My Slovak grandfather, who was a professional soccer player in Europe, introduced me to this beautiful game and my Afghan cousin who played for PSV Eindhoven in Holland showed me how hard work pays off. I consider them, Messi, and Roberto Carlos my heroes of the game. They are the driving force behind my lifelong ambition to become a professional soccer player and to represent my country internationally.  Playing Division 1 soccer at a top school will allow me to follow in their footsteps while also earning a great education. I believe that academics and athletics reinforce each other. Soccer is also as much a thinking game as it is athletic. My philosophy as a player is always to give 110% on and off the field. Success requires sacrifice and dedication. I bring speed, skill, unique athleticism, teamwork, and a deep devotion to the game.  With our season impacted by the Coronavirus shutdown, I spend my days practicing on whatever field I can find in DC, using training programs from my coach, others I find online, and lifting weights at home to help keep me competitive. My video offers some highlights of my skills as an agile defender and attacker as needed on the field. Being a LB is the greatest position in my opinion because it allows me to use my skills to transition between defender and attacker--two critical roles on any team.  Given the opportunity to play Division 1, I would start my days early and end them late. I would be the first to arrive on the pitch and the last to leave. I would do anything I possibly can in order to reach my goal while ensuring my success as an athlete and student. I have a proven track record in both and look forward to bringing my skills to the right school. To the coaches reading this, thank you for your time and consideration. You will not regret recruiting me for your team because I am an investment worth making given my passion for the game, heart, and skills as a player.