SAO PAULO, Brazil — When Canadian-born Shawn-Claud Lawson flew to Jamaica in August last year, he had only one thing on his mind — to play for his country.

Despite being born in Scarborough, Ontario, Lawson wanted to follow in his father Jimmy Lawson’s footstep and represent Jamaica.

“It feels good to know that I’m following my father’s footsteps playing for Jamaica. It also feels good to know that my father, along with the rest of my family, feels proud at what I have accomplished,” Lawson told the Observer.

His father was an attacking player for St Catherine outfit Thunderbolts in the late 1970s and later played alongside current youth football coach Wendell Downswell in the national senior team.

Downswell, who now coaches the young player, thinks he has the potential to be a better player.

Said Downswell: “Shawn is technically more sound than his father. His father is more physical, but Shawn is very smart. He thinks his way out of trouble. Not many players his age are as mature as him.”

Lawson, who turns 17 today, has impressed the technical staff here in Brazil and will be an integral part of the squad which will be seeking one of the four CONCACAF spots at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in June.

Downswell sees the youngster as an ideal attacking midfielder, but Lawson showed his versatility by playing at left midfield against Sao Bernardi’s senior team recently.

He is very skillful and showed a level of maturity rarely seen in his age group. Playing against a team with the average age being 27, Shawn rarely lost possession of the ball.

At one point during the game, he had the coaching staff all looking at each other in amusement after collecting a ball under extreme pressure from a defender.

Barely standing at 5ft six inches, Lawson braced for the impact, the palm of his hands in the chest of the player as he shielded the ball expertly.

The way in which he turned away from danger should come as little surprise, as his idol is none other than Xavi Hernandez of Barcelona and Spain fame.

“Well done,” echoed from the bench. “You see that, a big man that,” smiled the coach. “You see him with him hand inna the man chest like him a big man.”

This is one of the many reasons the head coach is optimistic this group of youngsters will do well playing against their age group in the upcoming Qualifiers.

Lawson, who attends J Clarke Richardson Collegiate in Ajax, Ontario, plays for Ajax Striker — 2010 national champions — and said his greatest ambition in football is to represent Jamaica on the World Cup stage.

“Since I was a kid I always dreamed of playing World Cup football. The chance to play in the U-17 World Cup in Mexico is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I think we can make the most of this opportunity,” he said.

But that dream, which is basically three matches away in February, would not have had the chance to become a reality had it not been for swift and decisive actions from doctors while he was an infant.

“I started playing football when I was three years old and I also underwent an open heart surgery after the doctors had discovered a leaking valve,” Shawn revealed.

Since then, he has blossomed into a fine young player.

In his first match for the National Under-17 team in August last year, he made a telling impact, scoring the winner in a 1-0 result against St Jago High.

He has not looked back and don’t be surprised if this young, talented footballer dons the colours of the senior team soon.

The Jamaica Football Federation’s (JFF) general secretary, Horace Reid, while giving a motivational speech to the youngsters in Brazil, said he has identified three players that he will be recommending to senior head coach Theodore Whitmore.

He did not say who, but following the match against Sao Bernardi, Reid was observed speaking to captain Omar Holness, Romario Williams and, of course, Shawn Lawson.

Yet Lawson is not by any means the finished product. In fact, he is still fighting for a starting spot in a team full of talented players.

One thing is certain, however; the name Shawn Lawson could be on the lips of Jamaicans for a very long time to come.