DREAMERS are the true shapers of the world. They represent a rare breed who, over a time, have impacted their respective field in incalculable ways.

Some dream big and some small. Still, they are all dreamers and it’s hard to imagine where we would be without them.

When Brazilian Rene Simoes convinced his countryman Alfredo Montesso to join him on a mission to Jamaica, they both were high on a dream. Back then, Some called it a pipe dream and you couldn’t blame them.

With few believers, including the visionary president of the Jamaica Football Federation, the Brazilians set out to take a rag-tag team of unprofessional footballers to the World Cup.

It was a big risk with no guarantees, but the Brazilians — led by the charismatic Simoes — believed in the possibilities until the dream was sold on the Jamaican people.

It was a gamble for all involved, but the dividends in the end were worth the pain and suffering.

“I think the achievement was fabulous, but was very difficult with a lot of time, meetings, a lot of work… we also face a lot of criticism, but that is expected whether you win or lose.”

Montesso, who was recently appointed to the overarching office of technical director of the national programme, recollects the day the Reggae Boyz booked their ticket to France 1998 following that 0-0 draw against Mexico inside the National Stadium in November 1997 as if it happened yesterday.

“At that moment you looked back at the dreams we had before regarding the football, also the dreams you had before you leave your country and your community to go far away from home, friends and family… and with all those dreams, suddenly they come true.

“At that moment I thought about my family, my friends, and everyone who supported the team to qualify as they wanted to see us progress in our lives. The other part was to see the community, the Jamaicans how they got together through the football… also how they bought into the dream because that’s what Rene Simoes did, he sold the people of Jamaica a dream because then some people didn’t believe it was possible,” said Montesso.

He noted that he believed in the “skill and quality” of the players to qualify all the way, so it was a sweet feeling to see it all come to fruition. “And all of those things came to me exactly at the moment the referee blew the final whistle and we knew our passports were stamped to France,” beamed Montesso.

The Brazilian tactician confessed, however, that on his first arrival back in 1996, the prospects were far from appetising then.

“We had no high expectation when we started, but the expectation started to build step by step, but we knew our situation that the players were not professional, we had no experience. And while the players stuck together as a team, I knew we needed more,” he noted.

The technical team decided that if the team was going to grow, they needed high-quality exposure and the Brazilian Simoes went about seeing to that, weaving his magic in getting corporate and government support to make it all possible.

“Back then when I joined the team late 1997 and early 1998, we played 250 games together moving to different countries. I remember one time having that discussion with coach Simoes and I told him how Jamaica made me know 32 different countries by that time, that means we were able to give those players the international experience necessary to achieve the level,” Montesso told the Jamaica Observer recently.

While acknowledging everyone who played a part in the successful 1998 campaign, including the fans, Montesso says he believes he played an important role in this truly inspiring Jamaican story.

“I think my attachment to the programme then was very important, I enjoyed all of it as it helped me to grow up a lot and to get the experience, but not only just giving my experience to the team as a trainer at the time, but my experience as a professional player, then as a coach.

“My contribution must also be viewed from the perspective that I helped Simoes and to give him some more time to focus on the extra work. You remember the Adopt-A-Player initiatives, and ideas like that, I gave him the room so he could concentrate on things like that more,” Montesso recalled.

He said he valued particularly the time spent on the field of training with the late Peter Cargill, a key member of the historic 1998 team.

“I remember I used to work every day with Peter Cargill and that’s why we became so attached during the time when I would go to his house in the period when we had no training and we would go in his car sometimes with two other players and we would do some physical and technical training, so I believe that the contribution in my perspective was good,” Montesso reflected.

Still, he believed that more could have been done for these players.

“I think we could still do more in putting the players in a professional mentality and to put them in a better physical condition and also the technical part of the game. But looking back, I really enjoyed it,” he noted.

Montesso said while he gave to the programme, he was grateful to what it gave to him. And still giving to this day.

“I don’t only look at my contribution to the programme as I am also thankful for the opportunities the programme gave to me in terms of maturity and development of my career,” he said.

In looking back, Montesso believed Jamaica’s 3-1 loss to eventually third-placed finisher Croatia was the outstanding game for him.

“The three games were important to us, but I believe the first game against Croatia was the one for me. When we played against Croatia we did a very balanced game… we did a game to win, but not to lose as well, but at the end of the day we were very competitive against the team that finished third in the World Cup.

“But the most exciting game was against Japan (Jamaica won 2-1) as the first time we are in the Finals we scored one goal, then another and we won a game and ended with three points,” said Montesso.

The Brazilian’s dreamy ride with the Reggae Boyz continues with the current campaign for the 2014 Finals, which be held in his homeland. Tonight the Boyz face Mexico, then the USA on Friday at ‘The Office’, and four days away to hostile Honduras.