"We sent 4 players down to Atletico Paranaense this summer for 22 days with Delima Soccer Enterprises. I had the privilege of traveling with the boy's and observing for 5 days of the training as well. All 4 players did not want to come home at the end of their stay and all 4 players want to go back for more than 22 days next summer. Having taken teams all over the World in my 27 years as a soccer coach, I cannot imagine a better soccer experience for American youth players.

From a parent's perspective, the environment is clean and safe; the food is plentiful and healthy; and, the people are warm and friendly. From a coach and director of coaching's perspective, the players are given personal attention; the coaches are extremely knowledgeable and focus on the details of becoming a good soccer player; they train with Atletico youth players and play with these players against local Brazilian teams; and, the emphasis at every level, including the professional team, is on technical skill.

The San Juan Soccer Club fully endorses Delima Soccer Enterprises and is going to encourage all of its players to consider going to Atletico at some point during their career with the club."  

Phil Wright,
Chairman of US Club Soccer

The month I spent training with Club Atletico Paranaense in Curitiba and ABC F.C. in Natal in the summer of 2007 was one of the greatest experiences of my life.

As a serious soccer player, I travelled to Brazil to improve my game.  The level of play was extremely high at Club Atletico Paranaense, and I was forced to think and play quicker.  My skills also improved through many technical drills, and the professional coaches taught me to become a smarter player.  Additionally, I learned the true meaning of "Brazilian soccer," which is to always play calm and relaxed and to truly enjoy the beautiful game.  Brazilian soccer has a unique rhythm and flow to it, and a player from the United States can?t fully understand this until he experiences it himself.  A player with ambitions of playing professionally will find no better atmosphere.

Through my experience I not only grew as a soccer player, but also as a person.  I learned from the Brazilians what it means to be kind and hospitable to other people.  While becoming more independent and responsible, I was also able to learn about a culture I didn't know much about before.  My trip to Brazil was a once in a lifetime experience, and I couldn't be more grateful to Mr. de Lima and everyone else who made it possible!

Brian Blumenfeld
Arsenal FC
La Canada, California

Delima Soccer Enterprises has given me the opportunity to train in Brazil on two separate occasions, and much of my success as a soccer player can be attributed to DSE and Miguel Delima. I spent four months in Brazil during my junior year of high school training with Atletico Paranaense, in Curitiba, Brazil. This experience helped me grow as a physical, technical and tactical soccer player.

The center of training at Atletico is regarded as one of the best in Brazil. Not only are the soccer facilities world class, but the living accommodations are excellent as well. I trained with the Juvenile (U17) age group at Atletico, and I was lucky enough to play in a few games with the team. Brazilian youth players are more skillful, more athletic, and more tactically astute than American youth players, so it is easy to improve in their training environment. I came back to the United States extremely well prepared for my Under 17 club season with Scott Gallagher. I loved my first experience in Brazil so much that I felt I really needed to return at some point.

So, this past summer (2008,) I spent a month training with Brasilis FC in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil and stayed at the Oscar Inn. This is also a beautiful facility and training with Brasilis helped me sharpen my game for my upcoming college season at Duke University. At times, I was able to train with the professional team which was a very beneficial experience. These experiences in Brazil have helped me develop as a soccer player, but they have also helped me grow as a human being.

For many of the young Brazilian players in these training environments, success in soccer is their only way out of unimaginable poverty. So, reasonably, the training sessions are passionate and intense. That I have been able to spend time in this kind of atmosphere has rewarded me in a physical, technical, and emotional capacity. I cannot thank Miguel and Delima Soccer Enterprises enough for giving me these opportunities.

Cole Grossman,
Graduate of Duke University ('11)
Currently at Columbus Crew (MLS)      

My high school soccer team, Marmion Academy, from the Chicago, IL area, has worked with Miguel de Lima and Delima Soccer for several years. We took our first training trip in 2004 to Clube Atletico Paranaense in Curitiba and then returned to Brazil in 2007, this time going to Natal and training at ABC Futbol Clube.The training was absolutely first-class, the training facilities were great, the meals were outstanding, and the teams we played against were highly competitive.

From a cultural standpoint, Natal was simply THE BEST. Out hotel accommodations were fabulous, as we overlooked the ocean and enjoyed the pristine beauty of Natal throughout our stay.Each day during free time, our boys enjoyed swimming in the ocean and relaxing on the beach or playing beach soccer.The cultural events that were included like the buggy rides on some of Brazil's largest dunes, going to other beaches, visiting local museums, and shopping trips, further enhanced the total experience each of us had during our time in Natal.The trips to Brasil have been a trip-of-a-lifetime experience for our teams.Thank you Miguel and Delima Soccer for making these lifelong dreams and memories possible.

Kevin O?Connor
Marmion Academy Head Soccer Coach
Aurora, Illinois

In August of 2008 I was lucky enough to travel with the University of Minnesota, Morris Men's Soccer team as an assistant coach and take part in a tour with Delima Soccer. We spent two weeks in Natal, RN, Brazil and the experience was everything we were looking for and more.The de Lima family along with Coach Beto and the hotel staff were a pleasure to be around. Every aspect of the trip was first-class.

The soccer training was just what we were looking for and has paid off for out team this season.The de Lima's also exposed us to the wonderfully vibrant Brazilian culture. I cannot imagine a better place to take your team to get the soccer and life experience like you will with Delima Soccer. I can not wait to return to my personal paradise that is Natal, Brazil. Thank you Delima Soccer for the experience of a lifetime!

Scott Turnbull
University of Minnesota, Morris,
Assistant Men?s and Women?s Soccer Coach

My two trips to Brazil were great experiences.  The coaches are very knowledgeable and help each player to improve and refine their skills.  The training consisted of great variety of drills and situations covering all aspects of the game.  We played some very good teams and these games give us a lot of confidence when we returned home to play.  The tourism is also a great experience.  We got to see a couple of professional games, the cities, and historical landmarks.  We also rode on the dune buggies on the dunes of Natal and that is an event I will never forget.  After experiencing the Brazilian culture, I returned to the United States with a better outlook of myself as a soccer player and more importantly, as a person.  

Andy Parker
Saint Anselm College
Manchester, New Hampshire

The experience I had with living, soccer, and friends will be a memory forever.I really enjoyed living in Brazil at Oscar Inn Soccer Academy.What a beautiful country!It was interesting to see what the standard of living is outside of the United States.I really enjoyed that and of course the food and hotel were great. Thank you.

I think that I was able to get fit, stronger, faster, and more technical.This has helped out with my first part of my season.I am better now that I went to Brazil compared to last year's season.The people I met in Brazil were so generous.Personally I met great friends and now am able to stay in contact with them through e-mail, although my Portuguese is not that great.Miguel, thank you so much for all your hard work and making this trip possible for me.It was the best experience I have ever had.

Kevin Stoll
University of Illinois- Chicago

I first went to Curitiba, Brazil through Delima Soccer with three of my teammates in the summer of 2003.Though I was only at Clube Atletico Paranaense for three weeks, the training, friends I made, and culture I experiences have had a lasting influence.The facilities were top class, and every training session was competitive and invigorating.

I also fell in love with the food-the beans and rice, all of the fresh fruit, and especially the Churrascaria (Brazilian barbeque).Since then, I have returned to Brazil twice, three months in the fall of 2004 and two months in the summer of 2007. At the end of each of my trips I found myself wanting to stay a little longer because the experience was so fantastic and valuable.I developed many lasting friendships from my trips, and attribute much of my development as a soccer player to the time I spend in Brazil at CAP.

Christ Wright
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico