The Jamaica senior men’s football team goalkeeper and Captain Andre Blake says while he still has hopes of playing for a club in Europe someday, he won’t get distracted by the thought.

Blake, a 31-year-old Philadelphia Union player, was recently named Goalkeeper of the Year by Major League Soccer (MLS). He also received the John Wanamaker Athletic Award, which recognises sporting excellence in the city of Philadelphia, for 2022.

Blake says he has always dreamt of playing in Europe but is not overly concerned about whether it happens.

“I just have to keep getting better, keep working hard, keep trying to do better than I did the year before,” Blake told the Jamaica Observer.

“[I have to] keep consistent and what is to happen will happen. I don’t want to get distracted by that. I just want to make sure that I keep performing well, stay consistent and keep doing my best to help my club and my teammates to be successful.”

Blake describes receiving the two awards this year as an amazing feeling.

“The work you have put in over the years, when you see yourself starting to reap the benefits from that work, it’s such a blessing, such an amazing feeling,” he said. “There’s so much to be thankful for. I’m just happy that I’m able to share these moments with my teammates, my family, my support system. I could not have done this on my own.

“I put in the hard work but I also surround myself with people who support me day in, day out, who keep me going. My kids, my teammates have done a fantastic job. The respect we have for each other, it’s unbelievable.”

This is the third time Blake has been named Goalkeeper of the Year, after winning the award in 2016 and 2020. He also won the MLS is Back Tournament Golden Glove and made its Best Eleven in 2020, as well as being named to the All Star team in 2016, 2019, 2021, and 2022. This familiarity with individual awards has boosted his confidence that he is one of the best shot-stoppers in the region.

“It really helps a lot,” he said. “As a goalkeeper, you need confidence, you need stability, you need consistency. The more games you play and the more level headed you are, it definitely helped me. The older I get, the more composed, the calmer I am as a goalkeeper.”

Blake, who says he was inspired to play in goal by former Netherlands and Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, is motivated to achieve more to inspire young Jamaican players looking to follow in his career path.

“It’s a main part of why I do it,” he said. “I want to show the youth that it’s possible. I want to continue to open doors for them and motivate them — to let them know that it doesn’t matter where you’re from. Once you have that mindset of where you want to go and you apply yourself, you make the necessary sacrifice, dedication and commitment, and really go after it, it’s possible.”

Blake says opportunities are not easy to come by and youngsters must make the most of any chance they get to play at a higher level.

“There are a lot of sacrifices you have to make, doing what you don’t really want to do, but doing what is required even when you feel like you don’t want to do it,” he said. “That’s the game-changer because it’s not easy. If it was easy, everybody would do it. People watch you do your thing and reap the success but don’t know how much sacrifice you put in behind the scenes. So for the youth, it’s there but it’s gonna take a tremendous amount of effort and work. You’re gonna fail sometimes, but when you fail, you get up and go again and I have this saying that keeps me going every time: ‘Don’t get bitter, get better.’ I’ve been following this philosophy for a while now and I just want to share it with the youngsters.”

Blake has made 204 appearances for Union after being named first overall MLS draft pick in 2014. He also made his national debut that year and has made 64 appearances since then.