Teen Soccer Prodigy Stuck in Quebec Despite Real Madrid Invite
- A 14-year-old soccer prospect from Longueuil, Quebec, is facing the possibility of missing a career-defining opportunity to train with Real Madrid CF due to his immigration status in...
- Bernivens Bernadotte was invited to spend one week at the official training center of Real Madrid in Spain.
- The invitation would allow Bernadotte to train in the same environment as his idol, Kylian Mbappé.
A 14-year-old soccer prospect from Longueuil, Quebec, is facing the possibility of missing a career-defining opportunity to train with Real Madrid CF due to his immigration status in Canada.
Bernivens Bernadotte was invited to spend one week at the official training center of Real Madrid in Spain. This opportunity followed his participation in the first round of soccer camps organized by the club in Montreal, where he was selected to advance to the training facility in Spain.
The invitation would allow Bernadotte to train in the same environment as his idol, Kylian Mbappé. However, the teenager’s status as an asylum seeker has created a legal barrier to his travel.
Immigration Barriers and Travel Delays
Bernadotte, who is originally from Haiti, has had his application to travel outside of Canada rejected. According to reports from CBC and Radio-Canada, the rejection is based on the fact that he does not possess a valid immigration status that allows him to leave the country and return.
The family’s struggle with the immigration system is extensive. Enive Bernadotte, the teen’s mother, stated that she has contacted Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), written letters, and sought assistance from deputies, but has not found a resolution.
The family’s situation is complicated by the specific nature of their refugee claims. Enive Bernadotte is the only family member with refugee status; she arrived in Canada before her husband and children. While she included them in a permanent residence application in 2022, the processing time for such applications can span several years.
Legal expert Gabrielle Thiboutot noted that the annual quotas imposed by Quebec on the number of permanent residents admitted contribute to these significant delays for applicants.
A Final Opportunity at Risk
What we have is not the first time the administrative holdup has affected Bernadotte’s sporting ambitions. He was originally scheduled to travel to Madrid during the summer of 2025.
Because of the delays in obtaining travel documents, the organizers of the training program agreed to postpone his stay to the summer of 2026. This postponement represents his final chance to participate in the program.
The emotional toll of the situation has been significant. Enive Bernadotte described the distress her son has experienced, mentioning that he has struggled to sleep due to the fear that his professional aspirations are being stunted.
Bernivens Bernadotte
What I’ve done, I don’t want it to go down the drain. I want to fulfil my dream … So when I learned the news it made me extremely sad.
Bernadotte expressed his ambition to follow in the footsteps of players like Kylian Mbappé and Neymar, dreaming of performing in front of crowds and making his parents and supporters proud.
As the summer of 2026 approaches, the 14-year-old remains in Longueuil, with his professional future dependent on the resolution of his immigration status and the issuance of the necessary travel documents.