This week, prepare to be captivated by an awe-inspiring conversation with the legendary Celtic star, Jacynta Galabadaarachchii.

• Is this your first visit to Sri Lanka?

No, I first came here when I was little. I think this is the fifth or sixth visit. My father’s family members are here, so we would visit often, but this time, we are visiting after a lapse of about five years.

• Is your father from Kalutara?

Yes, Kalutara. I like my father’s relatives. I like their characters and the food they prepare. A few days in that environment and the sea give me a very different experience from my usual routine. It is always a great pleasure to meet my father’s parents after a long time. They love me so much and treat me well.

• Do they know you are a football player?

Yes, but they don’t know much. They think playing this game is crazy, and that a woman playing this game is crazy. But they are very proud of me.

• How did you get into football?

I started playing football after watching my brother play. I have been watching him play since he was about eight years old; that’s how I got into the game.

• If you weren’t a footballer, who would you have become?

That is a difficult question. I have wanted to be a professional football player ever since I was five years old. But I also love animals and studying them in general. Perhaps, if I weren’t a soccer player, I’d be a vet or a lawyer.

• Who is your favourite football player?

Definitely Messi. I like Lionel Messi and (Diego) Maradona too. But I love Lionel Messi the most.

• And your favourite female football player?

I love Marta da Silva from Brazil. Her style of play and competitiveness are very attractive.

• How is your vacation going?

It has been great. I asked my father to bring me here; so, it has been a very happy time.

• What are your favourite Sri Lankan dishes?

Dhal curry, roti, and pappadam are my favourites.

• What are your favourite places to visit?

I love to walk on the beaches of Kalutara and Galle in Sri Lanka.

• Social media continued to report that you shifted to Europe with the intention of playing for Argentina. Is there any truth to this?

I played in Australia’s age group national teams. After that, I got a little less opportunity there. With that, I came to Europe. Both my favourite player and my mother come from Argentina. So, I would like to play for Argentina and I want to work towards it.

• You recently won a couple of awards. What were they?

I never thought I would win these awards, but I was nominated on several occasions. I won the Women’s Young Player of the Year given by the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) of Scotland, and the Celtic Female Footballer of the Year award.

• What is your ultimate goal?

My goal is to score at least one goal for my most beloved club, Barcelona. I became a fan of the club mainly because of Messi. And above all, I would love to someday clinch the Ballon d’Or award. It would mean a lot to me.