Andrade brings Brazilian flair and playmaking ability to MSOC
12/3/2021 2:08:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Midfielder will return for final season with extra year of eligibility
Across the globe, soccer is played with a different style in almost every country. Italian soccer is cautious and controlled, while German soccer is efficient and forceful.
For Marquette men's soccer, redshirt junior Zyan Andrade brings a style unique to his home country, Brazil.
"Everyone talks about that flair and the skill set of Brazilian soccer players," Andrade said. "It's intrinsic, everyone does it in Brazil. Everyone is talking about playing freely and with no responsibility, so everyone grows with that mentality and the skill set just comes with it."
Like many growing up in Brazil, Andrade has been playing ever since he can remember.
"Soccer is like a religion in Brazil," Andrade said. "I was impacted by the culture when I was a small kid. I remember 2002 when Brazil won the World Cup, and that was just magical to me."
To others in the men's soccer program, it's evident that soccer defines Andrade.
"He's a real soccer person, a deep thinker about the game," associate head coach Sean Hughes said. "It's part of his culture and he spills that out onto other players, sharing stories about games he's watched, ideas, tactical things."
Andrade's journey from Brazil to Marquette was a bit bumpy, with a pit stop on the west coast coming in the middle.
The first two seasons for the midfielder were spent at the University of San Francisco, where he appeared in 23 games.
But Andrade needed a change in environment so he put his name into the transfer portal, which is when he found Marquette.
"Marquette reached out and I just loved everything about it," Andrade said. "Everything the coaches told me was all about the team culture and a winning mentality. I want to go to the next level, so those things fit the way I think about the game and the way I want to develop as a player. It just made sense for me to come to Marquette."
Hughes said Andrade's recruitment occurred very quickly, and within 10 days, he was committed to MU.
There was only one drawback for the warm-blooded Andrade: the Milwaukee temperatures.
"One of the only things that was weighing on the negative side in coming to Marquette was the cold weather," Andrade said. "I honestly don't hate it, I think it's beautiful when all the snow is covering the sidewalks and stuff. I'm just not a fan of the cold, but now I know that."
Andrade arrived on campus in January of 2020 and began to train with the team until the COVID-19 pandemic brought the world to a screeching halt.Â
The fall season was canceled that year, so Andrade had to wait even longer to make his MU debut.Â
In Feb. 2021, the season began and Andrade finally got to don the blue and gold. Immediately, his pure talent on the pitch was clear.
"He can do anything with a soccer ball. He's so gifted, technically so good," Hughes said. "If you play with him, you would say he's one of, if not the best player on the team. He brings a real calmness, a high level of IQ. He's got a quality of finding the last pass and creating goals."
Andrade's All-American teammate Lukas Sunesson calls him a "one-of-a-kind playmaker."
"He's one of the best playmakers I've played with on any level," Sunesson said. "When he's having a good day, he's the best player on the field. I'm very happy to have him on my team."
Andrade played a crucial role in a historic season for the Golden Eagles last year, scoring two goals and adding two assists on his way to Third Team All-BIG EAST honors.
Entering this fall, expectations were high for both Andrade and the men's soccer program.
While the team did not meet their lofty goals, Andrade once again showcased his playmaking ability. The Rio de Janeiro native was the team leader in assists with six, good for second-most in the BIG EAST.
"The assists have a lot to do with my relationship with my teammates," Andrade said. "I have great relationships with all my teammates, I have that understanding of where he's going to make the run and where he wants the ball. All of that adds up to me having the numbers that I had."
After missing out on the BIG EAST and NCAA tournaments this season, Andrade decided his college career would not end in that manner, so he is electing to use the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA.Â
"We underachieved as a team, and I don't want to end on that note," Andrade said. "I would love to have a great season again, lead and have a Senior Night on that good note. I just love Marquette, everything is just amazing and I'm more than happy to come back here and hopefully do great things again."
Hughes said there is one key area of growth for Andrade in his last season: finding the back of the net.
"Goal scoring is one of the things we work on with him," Hughes said. "He's had good numbers on assists, but in his two seasons, he's only had three goals. He's a player that has much more quality than that, he should have more goals. Talking to him before we wrap up this semester, that's something he wants to add to his game for sure."
In his final year of collegiate soccer, Andrade looks to not only improve his own game, but to mentor younger teammates.
"I want to have better numbers individually and be a leader for the team, impact the culture, that's what I'm about," Andrade said. "I feel like that transition for kids in the U.S. from high school to college or club to college is just a big impact, so I want to help with that. Just doing that is going to improve the culture and the team and I'll be able to leave knowing that the players are going to do great things."
