Key Takeaways
- Roc Nation Sports plans to send 3-year-old soccer phenom Nevada Pierre to Spain in December, supporting his family’s goal of developing his talent overseas.
- Nevada went viral after police responded to a dispute at a Florida youth game, though i9 Sports said the conflict involved adults rather than complaints about his advanced play.
- His family’s GoFundMe has raised more than $42,000, and former USMNT player Eddie Johnson has offered to train him at his Orlando academy.
Three-year-old soccer sensation Nevada Pierre is getting an opportunity to take his talents overseas, thanks to Jay-Z's Roc Nation Sports.
According to The Breakfast Club's Loren LoRosa, Roc Nation Sports is arranging for Nevada to travel to Spain in December, days after a viral incident at a Florida youth soccer game brought national attention to the toddler.
"I'm told they'll work with the Roc Nation sports division over seas, as they represent a lot of soccer players, and plan to create opportunity for Nevada by doing all of the above," LoRosa wrote.
Roc Nation Sports represents several high-profile athletes, including LaMelo Ball and Real Madrid star Vinícius Júnior.
The opportunity aligns with plans Nevada's parents, Martasia Griffin and Don Pierre, previously discussed about potentially relocating to Spain to further develop their son's soccer skills.
Nevada went viral after a dispute at a youth soccer game in Winter Park, Florida, on Saturday (Oct. 24).
The toddler, who was competing against children as old as five, reportedly drew complaints from parents who believed he was too talented and wasn't passing the ball enough. The situation escalated when league officials called police.
"They're mad at my son because he actually plays soccer," Griffin told responding officers. "They're literally kicking him out of this place because he's good at soccer."
However, i9 Sports disputed that account, telling ESPN that police were called over a disagreement involving adults rather than Nevada's performance. The organization said nobody was arrested, trespassed or forced to leave the park, although the adults involved were later asked not to return to the program. The family's participation fee was refunded.
The incident has generated considerable support for Nevada, whose family GoFundMe has raised more than $42,000. His TikTok account has also gained approximately 750,000 followers.
Roc Nation Sports publicly supported the youngster on Instagram, commenting, "Keep shining Nevada, we support you!"
Former U.S. men's national team player Eddie Johnson has also offered to train Nevada at his EJE7 Soccer Academy in Orlando. Johnson revealed that Nevada's family approached him when the boy was two, but he recommended youth league competition because Nevada was too young for his academy at the time.
"His situation has brought light to a lot of the things that still exist in youth soccer in this country," Johnson wrote on Instagram. "Entitlement, Jealousy, Envy, Nepotism, Gatekeeping and profiling especially against people of color."
