Ke Sho
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Ke Sho is an Indigenous Ariddian (Wymgani) who played as a defender for his country's national football team.
Status: retired
First appearance: World Cup 31
Last appearance: World Cup 35
Caps (after World Cup 35): 72
Goals (after World Cup 35): 2
What makes Sho's case unusual is that he was born and raised in an Indigenous community (the E'te people) deep inside the virgin forests of the island of Wueliw, with little or no contact with the outside world. He was raised in accordance with millenia-old Indigenous customs, laws and traditions, and never even met a non-Indigenous person until the age of 12. Until he came to national attention at the age of 15, he had ventured out only twice, with several members of his family and community. Once, at the age of 13, to be officially registered as an Indigenous person, and once, a few months later, to watch a football match at Wavecrest City Stadium.
Despite their isolation, the E'te had known about football for many centuries, and some practised it as an alternately ritualised and casual community activity. Sho played football with his friends, according to somewhat adapted rules, and his talent was first spotted by a visiting journalist, who in turn informed the Ariddian Football Association. The AFA sent a representative to the E'te, who was impressed by Sho's potential and undeniable talent. When Sho finally realised the extent of the growing interest surrounding him, he was reportedly amused, but accepted to travel to Wavecrest from time to time for training, and to find out whether he might be interested in a football career.
Sho's story was followed with great interest by the media. Here was a young boy, emerging from the depths of the forest, naked except for patanja-leaf wrappers around his waist and thighs, his torso and arms painted in accordance with the traditional art forms devised in Wueliw communities by the fifteenth century Wymgani artist and philosopher Sho Ea. He spoke only Wymgani - which was not a significant problem, however, given that many non-Indigenous Ariddians speak Wymgani too.
Sho soon displayed considerable talent, proving himself to be a versatile player, but particularly skilled in defence. He accepted a place on the national team before World Cup 31.
A year before the beginning of the World Cup 32 qualifying stages, at the age of 20, Sho accepted an invitation, through the ubhashinim scholarship, to train and study at the prestigious Errinundrian Football Academy at Ellery Camp, along with fellow football player Cassie Lee. In this sense he followed in the footsteps of Ariddian national players Xavier Xu and John Cohen, earlier beneficiaries of the Errinundrian scholarship programme.
He has scored two goals in his career as a defender for the Rouge-et-Noirs, the first of which was the clinching goal in Ariddia's semi-final against Rejistania in World Cup 32.
When the Rouge-et-Noirs won that Cup, Sho was awarded the Order of Merit of the Social Republic for services in the field of sport, as well as an honourary degree in physical education and sports from the University of Rêvane.
Domestically, he plays for Atlético Jutense in Cafundéu. He is married to Cafundéu journalist Célia Sho (née Fernandes).
Ke Sho retired from the national Ariddian team after World Cup 35. The following year, Célia gave birth to their first child, a son, Jose. Sho announced he and Célia were getting married, and settling permanently in Cafundéu. He later obtained Cafundéu citizenship. The couple's second son, Filipe, was born three years after Jose.
Ke Sho is generally considered to have been one of the Rouge-et-Noirs' best defenders ever, along with Tina Realm and Yves al Jahdali.
The Ke Sho Award
The Ke Sho Award was presented by Econômico Bank of Cafundéu to the overall best defender of any nationality in World Cup 36. It was presented to the Ariddian team captain and leading defender Myo Thet Myint.
