Home in the Heat: Lucca Guimaraes

While the late summer heat wave pushed the Berkeley fog away, clear skies revealed one of the young talents of Cal men’s soccer. It's 95 degrees at Edwards Stadium and in his fifth appearance as a collegiate athlete and Golden Bear, Brazilian midfielder Lucca Guimaraes, scores his first career goal for Cal in the hottest game of the season. 

Welcome to the team, Lucca!

Courtesy of Cal Athletics

In the matchup against Cal State Fullerton, the Bears struggled to find the back of the net throughout most of the game. Although players maintained a steady jog throughout the 90 minutes, the sheen of sweat highlighting the sun and the lethargic pace of play, proved the scorching consequences were undeniable. Despite being the stronger side and maintaining a majority of the possession, the Bears kept finding themselves in multiple opportunities, yet still remaining at a 0-0 standstill. 

As the standstill persisted, a cross from teammate, Callen Lewis, got deflected in the box. Guimaraes then received the ball under high pressure, taking on two defenders. In the 72nd minute, Cal’s new number 16 weaved through opponents taking the crucial shot to solidify a win for the Golden Bears.

Celebrating with his teammates at the corner flag, Guimaraes was able to soak in this milestone of his career while highlighting Brazilian futebol to the Cal Bears. In a post-game interview, Guimaraes gave a look into his perspective on the heat, saying "this weather is not a problem for me.” He recalled his time living in Rio de Janeiro adding “last year was very hot,” ensuring that the Golden Bears will be in safe hands during the heat wave.

Soon, the once inescapable sun dropped past the towering stands of Edwards Stadium and a cool relief filled the pitch after a grueling yet deserved win. The Cal family watches as a new Golden Bear brings his skillsets from Brazil to his new home in Berkeley. At the end of it all, Guimaraes had the chance to reminisce saying "I'm missing my family, my friends, and the food.” From tough conditions to career firsts, and pinch of homesickness, the young Brazilian just gets started, and the best way to anticipate all that he has in store for the Bears can only be said in his own words: “Vamos bora para a próxima”- “lets go, onto the next one.”