The captain of the Vanuatu U-15 team at the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games, Wilkins is eager to emulate the achievements of his famous Brazilian namesake, Ronaldo.
“I was born to be a football player and my father knows it well. But to be honest I am ready to display my skills with our team and our main objective is to play good football and make Vanuatu and Oceania proud,” he says.
Ronaldo Wilkins gets his name from his father Richard who watched Brazil closely at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France.
Ronaldo’s father hails from the Pentecost Islands in Penama Province, a region more famous for its tourism and diving industry than its football.
A former Vanuatu senior international defender, its no surprise Richard’s son is a rising star, even if he was struggling somewhat when it came to finding a name for his new born baby son.
“Brazil had lost the World Cup final to France 3-0 but Ronaldo was the best player for me.
“So when my son was born at the Vila Central Hospital in Port Vila on the 30th December 1999, the only name I could think of was Ronaldo,” Richard says.
Young Ronaldo grew up at Tagabe area in Port Vila just five minutes away from the Port Vila International airport.
When he was six years old, his father Richard took him to Wan Smol Bag futsal court where he started his futsal training when he was spotted by New Caledonian football legend Zimako.
Zimako scooped young Ronaldo up and spent an intensive 10 months with him at his Academy.
Now the Tagabe youngster is ready, along with his Vanuatu team-mates, to chase a Youth Olympic Football dream in Nanjing, China.
“This is going to be a great tournament for me and I want to do well and continue to play for Vanuatu in the U-17, U-20, U-23 and maybe the national senior team one day.
“I want the Vanuatu football family to support all of us in their prayers,” Ronaldo says,”We don’t know too much about Korea Republic and Cape Verde Islands, our opponents, but we will try our best.”
Apart from his desire to taste medal success, is there any other goal Ronaldo Wilkins is aspiring to?
“It would be a dream to one day meet Ronaldo but right now I am very happy to be the captain of the team in China,” he says.
The squad landed in Shanghai yesterday and arrived in Nanjing after a five hour bus journey.
Their first match is on August 18 when they face Korea Republic at Jiangning Sports Centre Stadium.
The game kicks off at 8.45pm local time.
Match Details
Youth Olympic Games Boys’ Football Tournament
Group D
Monday 18 August
At Jiangning Sports Centre Stadium
Nanjing, China
Vanuatu v Korea Republic
Kick-off: 8.45pm local time
Ends
Story and additional reporting by Vanuatu Football Federation and OFC Media.

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