NATIONAL footballer Aubrey David has achieved many of his childhood dreams.

David, 32, has played in two FIFA Youth World Cups and played professional football in five countries – Finland, Kazakhstan, Costa Rica, US and TT.

On September 7, the defender achieved yet another dream when he wore the captain’s armband for Trinidad and Tobago in a Concacaf Nations League game against Curacao at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo. Born in Guyana, David had a very brief stint with the Golden Jaguars in 2012, before committing firmly to the red, white and black in 2012.

His no-nonsense approach and fearless defending have made him a mainstay at his club, Alajuelense, in the Costa Rica premier division, and saw him appointed skipper by national coach Angus Eve, after the resignation of his predecessor Kevin Molino.

In an interview with Newsday on Sunday, David went into detail about his emotions while walking through the tunnel and hearing the national anthem playing during his captaincy debut.

He said the experience was surreal and something he had envisaged since entering the national youth setup at age 14.

“For me, it’s a blessing and first and foremost, I want to give God the honour and glory to play and represent the national team and the opportunity to be the captain - because it was a childhood dream.

[caption id="attachment_1036955" align="alignnone" width="1024"] TT captain Aubrey David (L) and Curacaocaptain Leandro Bacuna exchange flags at thestart of their Group A Concacaf Nations Leaguematch on September 7. -[/caption]

With a bubbly tone to his voice, David added, “Since small, I was the in front mirror, practising how I would walk, practising how I would talk - imagining I was Dwight Yorke or Kenwywne Jones.”

As national youth players, David said they would be allowed to enter the dressing room and see their idols up close and personal. He said these moments left a lasting impression on him.

David said getting a victory in the first match as captain was a special moment and something he will always remember.

The national team has done well under David’s leadership with two wins on the trot - against Curacao and El Salvador - that put them top of their group in the Concacaf Nations League. But what type of leader is David?

“I think I am a charismatic captain. I lead by my example - not too big on the vocal part. Later on in my career I developed that a bit. I feel like my example can set a standard for others to follow - my work rate, commitment and leadership..”

Asked how he would react to a teammate not performing his duties on the pitch, David said, “There are moments in the game - ball goes out, or somebody goes down - I would say, ‘Come fast,’ and get in a quick word.”

He said it is important to understand each player’s character traits.

“Different players have different mentalities. Some players, if you scream at them, you lose them, lose their confidence. I would say, ‘You’re a good player, believe in yourself, keep going.’ I would try to lift them up rather than bring t