Fourteen-year-old Bernivens Bernadotte, who dreams of becoming a professional soccer player and resides in Longueuil, Quebec, has been presented with an incredible chance: to spend a week at the training facility of Real Madrid CF in Spain, where his idol, Kylian Mbappé, trains.
However, it appears that this dream may not come to fruition.
Bernivens’s request to leave Canada was denied because he is an asylum seeker originally from Haiti, which means he lacks the necessary immigration status to travel outside the country.
He was meant to travel to Madrid last summer, but due to delays in his application, the program’s organizers rescheduled his visit for this summer. This is his final opportunity.
“I don’t want everything I’ve worked for to go to waste,” he expressed to Radio-Canada in French. “I want to achieve my dream… so when I heard the news, it made me very sad.”
Worries about a hindered career have kept him awake at night, and his mother shares the same concern.
“I’ve written letters, made phone calls, and reached out to politicians for assistance… there was nothing more I could do,” stated Enive Bernadotte. “When your child is in pain, you feel it too.”
“I believe Bernivens can succeed; he just needs a single opportunity,” she remarked.
Bernadotte is the only one in her family who holds refugee status, having arrived in Canada ahead of her husband and children. She included them in her permanent residence application submitted in 2022, but the response may take several years. Bernivens has been in Canada for three years.
“My dream feels increasingly distant. As I grow older, it seems to slip further away,” he shared.
Bernivens Bernadotte’s aspiration to train at Real Madrid CF’s training facility in Spain is at risk due to his status as an asylum seeker. His application for travel outside Canada was denied.
Immigration attorney Gabrielle Thiboutot points out that the limits set by Quebec on the number of permanent residents allowed each year lead to significant delays for applicants.
Radio-Canada reached out to Bernadotte’s local MNA Ian Lafrenière, who stated that he cannot discuss individual cases. Nevertheless, he mentioned that his office is in contact with the family and the immigration minister, monitoring the situation closely.
Over the long weekend, Radio-Canada contacted both the provincial and federal immigration departments but did not receive a response in time for publication.
‘It’s very rare to see skill like that at that age’
For years, all Bernivens has asked for are soccer cleats and registration with a local club, according to his mother.
“He never asks for gifts on Christmas or for his birthday,” noted Bernadotte.
The Bernadotte family, originally from Haiti, resides in Longueuil, Quebec. The mother was the first to arrive and was granted refugee status. Her husband and children are linked to her application for permanent residency. (Mathieu Bolduc/Radio-Canada)
He practices regardless of the weather—be it rain, shine, or snow—and often is observed by his coach, Amro Moustafa, putting on his cleats after school while other students hurry to catch their buses.
“In all my years of experience, I have rarely encountered talent like this,” he remarked. “It’s quite uncommon to witness such skill at this age.”
It is evident that his dedication has paid off. Bernivens first took part in a soccer camp organized by Real Madrid CF in Montreal and was subsequently chosen to attend the camp in Spain at the club’s official training facility.
While other prospects may arise in the future, Bernivens is concerned about the implications of missing this opportunity. For the time being, he remains focused on his aspirations.
“My dream is to become a soccer player for Real Madrid, like Mbappé, to dribble like Neymar, to inspire others, to celebrate in the stadium, to see my parents cheering when I score, and to hear my friends who have supported me shout: ‘Yes! Go Berni!'”