The world underwent a significant change in the early months of 2020 and waves of grit and resilience were the need of the hour. For 25-year-old Chelsea fan and pilot Qwenlyn D’Souza, the Premier League had to take a backseat as disease-stricken areas across the continent called on her professional expertise.
Qwenlyn’s tryst with Chelsea inspired her to take to football from a young age and represent Maharashtra at the state level. The Blues have experienced unprecedented success in recent Premier League history and Qwenlyn D’Souza is immensely grateful to Chelsea FC for shaping her childhood.
Chelsea have grown into one of the most popular football clubs in the world in recent years and have given their passionate fanbase a series of legendary moments over the past two decades. The Blues’ golden generation under Jose Mourinho remarkably coincided with a massive boost in the Premier League’s worldwide popularity at the turn of the century and resulted in a new generation of dedicated followers.
Football fans across the world often inherit their views on the sport from their families and Qwenlyn’s story is no exception. Born into a family of passionate Chelsea fans, the footballer-turned-pilot relates her earliest experiences with the sport and her instant connection to legendary Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard.
Lampard belonged to arguably the best group of Chelsea players in recent history and had a massive role to play in the Blues’ domination of English football in 2005 and 2006. Alongside the likes of Didier Drogba, John Terry, and Ashley Cole, the current Chelsea manager carved a unique legacy for himself as one of the best players in Chelsea’s history.
Football often draws powerful reactions from its most devoted followers and Qwenlyn has relied on Chelsea FC as a source of solace during a tense and difficult period. As the world went into an unprecedented lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the trained cargo pilot carried out an essential service and spent days on end supplying much-needed provisions to areas that were adversely affected by the pandemic. Qwenlyn D’Souza has spent a majority of the past year transporting supplies to front-line workers in China and continues to play a key role in the fight against COVID-19.
For fans across the world and particularly in Asia, keeping in tune with the Premier League often comes as an enormous challenge. The most ardent fans often overcome these obstacles, however, and Qwenlyn has remained in touch with her footballing roots and has managed to carve a place for Chelsea in her hectic schedule. For several fans across the world, the beautiful game is synonymous with precious memories at home and Qwenlyn D’Souza and her family can certainly attest to their special bond with Chelsea.