And it could not have come at a better time.
Like many young men his age, Sancho has long has his eye on a national senior team place. But, as Express readers will recall, prior to the recent Gold Cup in California, the 22-year-old dreadlocked defender had accused newly sacked coach Bertille St Clair of discriminating against him because of the way he wore his hair.
St Clair denied the accusation but there was no reprieve for Sancho as he continued to be omitted from the squad.
But on Saturday, with a new coach at the helm, Sancho, who turns 23 on Monday, finally got his wish, running out in the very first game of T&T's 2002 World Cup qualifying series.
He was, naturally, a happy man at the end of the game and not simply because of the 5-0 result.
"It's always an honour to represent your country and I think today (Saturday) was a big day for me because playing for my country was always my first priority," Sancho told the Express.
"I had to wait a while," he said, "but I was patient and when the chance came, I grabbed it with both hands."
The former Finland-based professional is now looking forward to changing leagues. He currently has an offer on the table from Major League Soccer side New York/New Jersey MetroStars but has not finalised a contract just yet.
However, for now, he is just relishing the taste of the "big times" and playing with his new teammates.
"As a kid growing up, you always look forward to playing with the senior guys," he said. "When the chance finally came, it was like a dream come true for me."
"I just had to hold my own and do my stuff and also try to complement these guys. It was a pleasure playing with them. It was everything that I thought it would be."
Commenting on his debut, he had this to say: "I was a little bit jittery at first but I soon settled in as those guys made me feel at home.
"I was very comfortable and, as it went along, it became more and more of a joy playing with those guys. It wasn't easy but it was definitely a pleasure.
"It's a big, big day for me and it'll be marked in red on my calendar."
This first taste of senior football, he admitted, has only made his hunger even greater.
"I know that it's hard work paying off for me. And I'll continue to work hard because that's what got me here in the first place.
"And I'm looking forward," he ended, "to building on what I've done today."
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|