South Africa, Denmark and Brazil. Three countries, different cultures and a story that crosses borders. For Indy, growing up with these influences was an experience of discovery, adaptation and learning that also helped shape her identity on and off the pitch. Now, at the U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, the youngster is experiencing a special chapter in that journey: representing Brazil, her mother’s country, in the national team jersey.
Born in South Africa, Indy moved to Denmark as a child and still lives there today. The move meant discovering a very different way of life. From the warm weather to the bitter cold, she had to adapt to new environments, languages and customs. The differences showed up even in the simplest everyday situations.
“Having roots in such different countries, with such different cultures, is a really cool opportunity, but it’s also difficult, because you’re born in one place, move to another and have to adapt. South Africa is very hot. I used to go to school in flip-flops. In Denmark, there’s snow and it’s very cold. People spend a lot of time at home,” she says.
It was at home that one of her most important connections to Brazil took shape: her relationship with her mother and Brazilian culture.
Brazil at the table
Although she grew up in Denmark, Indy stayed connected to her Brazilian roots through her mother’s family. Her mother, Carla, is from the state of Goiás. The player says she loves the joy of the people, the music, the dancing and the weather. “I think people in Brazil are more cheerful. Happy. They like to dance. It’s a really cool country,” she says.
Visits to Brazil helped strengthen that bond, but some of her fondest memories of Brazilian culture were part of everyday life at home. Food holds a special place in this story. Her mother’s beans and pão de queijo, Brazilian cheese bread made from a recipe she learned from Indy’s grandmother, are among the Brazilian staples that have been part of the player’s life since childhood. “My mom makes really good pão de queijo because her mother taught her how. It’s delicious,” says the athlete, who has also learned a little about making it.
Choosing Brazil’s yellow jersey
Indy’s relationship with Brazil took on new meaning when the opportunity arose to play for the national team. Before that, she had already worn Denmark’s number 10 jersey at youth level. But choosing which country to represent was not an easy decision.
The opportunity to play for Brazil came through her agent, who sent videos of the player to the Brazilian coaching staff. The footage caught the national team’s attention, and Indy received her first call-up in December last year, initially for a training camp.
“It was a very difficult decision for me because I love Denmark and the Danish national team. But I think I chose Brazil because I have more freedom here with the national team. I feel happy, with the girls always smiling. My family took it well, but they worry about all the traveling because I travel alone,” she explains.
Indy during preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Morocco Credits: Fabio Souza / CBF
Cultural exchange
Indy is still learning to speak and write Portuguese. So, during discussions and briefings with the coaching staff, she usually writes down the information in Danish, the language she knows best.
The strategy helps her remember things, but it also leads to funny moments with her teammates. Laughter is guaranteed whenever a player tries to decipher what is written in her notebook.
“It’s very difficult for me when people speak really fast. I have to think a lot. Sometimes I try to write things down in Portuguese, but it always comes out a little funny. So I write in Danish because it’s easier to remember,” she says.
On the pitch, language is a challenge. Instructions come in Portuguese, often amid the players’ shouts and the intensity of the game. Indy tries to pay attention and follow the instructions, even when understanding everything takes extra effort.
Indy prepares for Brazil’s opening match against Canada at the U-17 World Cup in MoroccoCredits: Fabio Souza / CBF
“I think football is a universal language. The same things exist in Danish and Portuguese. But sometimes it’s very difficult for me to understand because you’re on the pitch, everyone is shouting, and so are the coaches. It’s hard to take in everyone’s messages, but I try to listen,” she says.
Indy knows there will be challenges ahead. To describe the feeling of wearing Brazil’s yellow jersey, she had to look up the translation from Danish into Portuguese. She discovered that representing Brazil means “pride.”
“For me, being at this World Cup was a dream. I’m very happy to be here with everyone, and I’m very proud too. I expect a very tough competition, but I think it’s going to be really cool,” she says.
Brazil opens its U-17 Women’s World Cup campaign against Canada next Sunday, October 18, 2026, at 12 p.m. Brasília time. The match is part of the opening round of Group C and will take place at the Women’s Football Complex in Salé, Morocco.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.