The new life of Jordi Amat: from a laborer for the ball to a prince in Indonesia

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The story of

(Canet de Mar, 1992) is not that of the typical footballer who, after trying to gain a foothold in the First Division, has to continue his career almost at the other end of the world.

It is true that, after making his elite debut with Espanyol -the team in which he was formed- and going through the ranks of Rayo, in two stages, Betis, Welsh Swansea and Belgian KAS Eupen, he packed his bags to enlist in the Johol Darul Takzim of the Malaysian league.

But, when traveling to Asia, he rediscovered his origins, he decided to start the procedures to claim Indonesian nationality and, with it, his status as prince of the island of Siau.

It is not necessary to literally translate this condition, which is inherited through the mother, as we usually interpret it in the old continent.

"He is not at the level of those we know as a prince and is not comparable to the rank of the kings of Spain," the footballer himself relativized in statements to TV3.

«When I was little, my grandmother used to tell me that I was the crown prince, but she thought it was a story and little more.

My life will not change much, "he stressed.

His great-great-grandfather was the Rajah of Siau, his grandmother inherited the title, and now he has been recognized as the heir.

In his case, the appointment means his willingness to be of service to his subjects.

Not surprisingly, they will turn to him, for example, to settle any private controversy between them.

For this reason, it is essential that he learn the language, Bahasa, in which he has already been taking classes.

He also knows that he will have to strive for the good of the island's inhabitants.

white sand beaches

"Right now, my mission is to work for the people and make some financial contribution, because there are many things to do on the island," explains the defender.

The enclave, which has about 22,000 inhabitants, is paradisiacal.

The white sand beaches of Siau, where hot springs also abound, are crowned by a volcano around 1,800 meters high that is one of the most active in Indonesia.

And, in turn, an emblem of the region.

The enclave, located in the Celebes Sea, is relatively close to the Philippines and is one of the 17,508 islands that make up Indonesia.

By acquiring this nationality, Amat has managed to stop occupying a place as a player outside the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in the Malaysian Johol Darul Takzim and become selectable with Indonesia.

On December 23, in fact, he already made his debut with his new country, in a duel against Cambodia that ended in a 2-1 victory.

Amat isn't the only royal with a past in the League.

At the end of the 90s of the last century, another prince, the Nigerian

, passed through the ranks of Hércules and Deportivo de la Coruña.

In the Galician team, however, he was always in the shadow of the Cameroonian

, one of the great architects of the title that the A Coruña team would win in the 1999-2000 season.

the reverse path

Rufai, yes, was the undisputed starter with the Nigerian team that participated in the World Cups in the United States, in 1994, and France, in 1998. In fact, he was under the sticks in that ill-fated debut of the Spanish team on French soil in the one that the Nigerians ended up winning 2-3 after the team coached by

went ahead twice on the scoreboard and

made an error that is still remembered.

Rufai, however, followed the opposite path to that taken by Amat.

Despite the fact that he was the crown prince of Idimu, a region that is part of Lagos, he decided to renounce the throne after the death of his father in 1999. As he argued, he did not have the necessary spirit to be proclaimed king in an environment marked by then multiple tribal clashes and in which, according to what he said, he even became the victim of an attack.

For this reason, he preferred to remain linked to soccer, establishing his residence in Spain and opening an academy to train young goalkeepers after his retirement.

The actual experience of Amat seems much more peaceful.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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• Indonesia

• Deportivo de la Coruña

• Nigerian Soccer Team