Bernier Thrilled with Experience of Brazilian Legends

Former Impact captain Patrice Bernier spoke yesterday of his pleasure at running out again at Stade Saputo and playing against the likes of Cafu, Rivaldo, Gilberto Silva and Klebersen.

“[Today] I’m just the kid. The kid in me, you know with Haitian origins just says, Brazil for me has had a very special place. To have a picture against the World Cup winner and captain like Cafu, is priceless for me. Priceless!

“I don’t play every day any more, but these moments allow me to live in the culture, and the culture is more than games on the weekend. Every day the game grows and in Montreal we are able to see this. So this was a special day.”

You could detect the excitement in Bernier’s voice. Not hard to tell he was in his element amongst the VIP’s he jousted with out on the green baize. It’s an old cliche, but ‘kid in a candy’ store fits perfectly.

He also expressed how much fun it was again to play with former team-mates from both his spells at Montreal Impact. There was Drogba, Porter and Mapp from MLS days, but also many from his earlier experiences with the Impact; Biello, De Santis, Cecarelli, Limniatis to name just four.

Impact’s former #8 spoke of how Didier Drogba left a ‘footprint’ at the club when he left in 2015, and expressed how great it was that international players had come to wear the colours of the Montreal Impact.

“Something that we never dreamt of, and now we are able to play against great international players, even though they are now retired. Just to say that in the past, never, NEVER you would have thought that these types of players, these World Cup winners could come and play here in Montreal.”

Bernier had a hand in the second Montreal Legends goal, as the entertaining afternoon played out to a 3-3 draw. The Brazilian Legends won 6-5 on penalties.

Paul Vance