Jacynta Prema de Nieva Galabadaarachchi
Personal information
Full name: Jacynta Prema de Nieva Galabadaarachchi
Date of birth: 6 June 2001 (age 20)
Place of birth: Dandenong, Australia
Father: From Sri Lanka
Position(s): Forward
Current team: Celtic
Number: 8
Jacynta Prema de Nieva Galabadaarachchi, the 20-year-old Australian soccer player with a Sri Lankan connection, was awarded this week the Women’s Young Player of the Year award at the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) of Scotland.
She plays as a forward for the Scottish Women’s Premier League club Celtic.
The young striker joined Celtic in February 2021 and has been impressing in Scotland ever since. The award for Galabadaarachchi will thus make both Australian and Sri Lanka football fans happy.
Galabadaarachchi began her professional career with Melbourne City before subsequent moves to Perth Glory, West Ham, and Napoli.
Galabadaarachchi’s father is originally from Sri Lanka. She also has Italian citizenship through her maternal grandparents.
Earlier she had played for the Australia national women’s under-20 team. In February 2017, she was called up to training camp with the senior national team as well.
Galabadaarachchi began playing soccer at age five after watching her brother play. At age nine, English club Manchester United contacted Galabadaarachchi to come for a trial.
She was later invited to Manchester City W.F.C. Academy and spent eight weeks training with the team.
Jacynta of Sri Lankan origin becomes best young player in Scotland
03 May 2022
Jacynta of Sri Lankan origin becomes best young player in Scotland
03 May 2022