Google Translate: Alberto's Story

18

[piano music]

[faucet running]

Alberto: [speaking Spanish]

woman: [speaking Spanish]

Alberto: [speaking Spanish]

My name is Alberto,

and I love football.

When my mom moved here for work,

I was a little scared at first.

I really wanted to play football,

but I didn't speak English at all.

Gary: So we'll be attacking at the sortie...

Me and Glen coach the Portadown youth team.

One night, I just looked over and saw Alberto.

I just said, "Do you want to play football?"

He couldn't really understand me.

Well, I don't speak Spanish. Glen speaks a wee bit.

Glen: Hola. That’s about it.

I'd been using Google Translate in work,

so I thought I'd just give Gary the app on my phone.

Gary: Go play left-hand side, okay?

[electronic female voice speaking Spanish]

Gary: That's the breakthrough we needed.

[whistle blasts]

Gary: First, we started with the basics

and then got into the more advanced coaching drills.

Alberto: Coach Gary taught me things

like the bicycle kick,

attacking crosses,

protecting the ball,

and things like that.

Gary: We just kept working with him,

and he just sort of took off.

[kids cheering and shouting]

Gary: Keep going!

[all shouting]

Patrick Van Dort: This season,

his stats are something ridiculous,

like 30 goals from 21 games.

Gary: Don't stop! Keep it going!

Patrick Van Dort: That's phenomenal at that age.

[cheers and applause]

Gary: Oh, yes!

Patrick Van Dort: Now Alberto's being scouted

by some of the English Premiership clubs.

For a kid from this town,

well, that's just unheard of.

Alberto: [speaking Spanish]

phone: Coach, can we go home now?

I'm exhausted.

[laughter]

Glen: You know, it's amazing

what a little communication can do.

Everyone just loves Alberto.

He'll always be a Portadown boy.

He's one of us now.

[piano music]