Angelo Schirinzi Photo: OFC Media via Phototek
No one would have been more delighted at Tahiti's success in the Oceania Beach Soccer Nations Cup in Papeete at the weekend than Angelo Schirinzi.
The Tiki Toa defeated Solomon Islands 7-0 in Sunday's final to retain their title and qualify for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in early 2024.
Schirinzi is the current coach of the Swiss national team and has been instrumental in the development of the sport in Tahiti.
He was brought in to coach the national side after Tahiti was selected as host nation for the 2013 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.
He led the team to the semi-finals, a narrow 5-3 loss to Russia before a heartbreaking defeat on penalties by Brazil in the third/fourth place playoff after the match had finished 7-7.
Still, it was a remarkable achievement for the small Pacific Islands country that had only taken the sport seriously for a few years.
"It's incredible this story they started 10 years ago with a plan, Schirinzi told OFC Media.
"They set up beach soccer and what happened in 2013 they made a fantastic FIFA World Cup.
Tahiti reached the final in both 2015 and 2017 losing both finals, to Portugal and Brazil respectively.
Heimanu Taiarui was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 2017.
Schirinzi was back in Tahiti for the Oceania Nations Cup, his second visit this year as part of his role as a FIFA consultant.
Schirinzi is passionate about beach soccer in Oceania and has spent time in Tonga and other Pacific Islands helping the sport develop.
"I was in Tonga a few months ago and it was a fantastic island group (Ha'apai).
"Of course they don't have a big culture in football, but they have big hearts, and we trained a lot. I saw them improving and I hope they can do what they learned there, and I think they will do a good job.
"To think that they have a whole group of islands with only 6000 people and there are 500 players, and they now have girls, boys, men, women, playing the sport."
Schirinzi is committed to helping OFC and its member associations grow the game.
"I think all these Pacific islands have a lot of potential in beach soccer and this is natural playing the bare foot on the sand, five against five. It is perfect for all the Pacific Islands."
"[Tahiti] is a fantastic story, and I can only give this message to all the islands in the Pacific. You can do a fantastic job in this form of football. It's football but just on the sand and you can go to a World Cup and do well."
Mr beach soccer
As well as Schirinzi's influence, Tahitian beach soccer has it's own hero in Naea Bennett, who has represented and coached the territory in both football and beach soccer.
Bennett is the son of Tahiti football legend Erroll Bennett who was on the books of French Ligue 1 side PSG, and named the best Tahitian player of the 20th century.
Bennett junior was always destined to play football.
"I don't remember when I didn't have a ball at my feet. I was always with my father when he went training," he said.
Naea Bennett Photo: OFC via Phototek
Bennett was player-coach when Tahiti made the 2015 and 2017 World Cup finals. He retired from the national team after the 2017 final but still plays for his club side.
Bennett works for the Fédération Tahitienne de Football as the President's advisor, and last week he was the ground announcer at the Nations Cup. He is perfectly placed to explain what beach soccer success has done for the country.
"Yeah, a lot of people. When you were talking to them about football, they said, Oh no, I don't really like football. But when they came and see beach soccer, there was Oh, okay. I like football. This is football. And a lot of people came back to see the regular football because they know that some players play both."
Bennett would love to see the success created in Tahiti replicated in other Pacific countries.
"Yeah my wish for Tahiti and for Oceania is to have all of the Oceania countries to be part of this game. I know in 2010 I didn't really want to play Beach Soccer but as soon as I try now I adopted it so I will help if they need me to give some advice with our experience."
- OFC Media