‘Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.’
Those were the oft-quoted words of beloved 1990s film character Forrest Gump. Ryan Jago may have never been a shrimp boat captain or received the Medal of Honour for bravery, but he can attest to the beautiful uncertainty of life.
Just eight years ago, Jago was a self-employed sports coach who went into local schools and taught toddlers football, until one visit to the leisure centre changed all of that.
“I was approached by the sports-centre manager of a venue I was hiring, asking if I’d like to play futsal,” Jago recalled to FIFA. “I was intrigued as to what futsal was, but as soon as I played I could see it was fast-paced and how the game would enhance footballers.
Played in a friendly for the UK Diabetic Futsal Team yesterday. Took me a while to get into it but ended the game with a goal and hitting the cross bar :). Thank you @TDFCdiabetes for the opportunity pic.twitter.com/qefKQnYu5E
— JSA Futsal (@JSAFutsal22) November 26, 2023
“I instantly fell in love with the sport and immediately took my Level 1 coaching course. I wanted to introduce some of my players to futsal and became passionate about it as a game in its own right, and really pushed to gain as many experiences as I could.”
Jago was soon taking his Level 2 and then UEFA B courses, while adding vital coaching experience through his local futsal side Kent United. After a year of shadowing the head coach there and earning his stripes, the 36-year-old was thrust into the top job following relegation.
“I stayed for a season and it was great as I got to change the mistakes that were in place,” Jago said. “The training was unopposed which made trying to implement what was taught daunting, so I changed that and defensively strengthened the team. We scored 116 goals and won our final seven games.
“We then won the national plate final at St. George’s Park, which was broadcast live on BT Sport. I was able to take my under-nine academy team, as well as my son, which was an unbelievable experience and it made me hungry to achieve bigger and better things.”
Changes at the club led to him departing soon after that success, however, and heading down a new route. He travelled to Namibia to volunteer at an orphanage and, much like futsal, quickly fell in love with the country before returning on holiday with his wife.
To his surprise, Jago found a country rich in its love of futsal and boasting an incredibly sophisticated league system. He contacted the FA and began to build bridges with those in power, eventually resulting in an offer to become Namibia’s first-ever futsal coach earlier this year.
“It was surreal,” Jago said. “My goal was always to coach internationally, so when the opportunity was presented to me I took it with both hands. I’m grateful that my work as a coach was appreciated. To be considered as a coach they felt can come in and get them to the AFCON left me feeling
immensely proud.
“Press conferences, TV and radio interviews and acting as a psychologist to the players has been hard work but an exceptional experience. It’s something I want to hold on to and gain lots more experiences with Namibia. I also want to educate coaches here to ensure the foundations are strong and players can continue to be developed.”
His first task was to navigate a two-legged affair with Tanzania for a place at the Futsal AFCON. A 5-2 home defeat dampened optimism, but Jago’s charges bounced back in Dar es Salaam, winning a pulsating game 6-3 and advancing to the finals on away goals.
Their rewards for such a turnaround is a place in Group B alongside three-time winners Egypt, fellow debutants Mauritania and Libya. The top three sides at the tournament will head to the FIFA Futsal World Cup Uzbekistan 2024™, and Jago is hell-bent on taking part.
“It was an unbelievable experience [to qualify], and to overcome a three-goal deficit made it even more special,” said Jago. “Our morale was down but we dug deep.
“The teams we’re going to face are incredible. Egypt are one of the highest-ranked teams in the world, while Libya play some great futsal. Mauritania are less known as there is less footage of them, but I expect they’ll also be a top side.
“We will enjoy and cherish these experience and, regardless of results, learn and develop. Our ambition is to make it out of the group and push for a top-three finish to secure a World Cup place.”
Saturday, 5 July , 2025