Six years is a long time. And when you’re not seeing family and close friends in that span, it feels like double the amount. Such was the reality for Liberia forward Jimmy Farkarlun when he left his home country to play college soccer in the USA.

Farkarlun had never been outside of Liberia, let alone traveled to another continent, but opportunity beckoned at Houston Christian University and later at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. He made the most of it and in 2024 was drafted by Major League Soccer (MLS) side Austin FC, where he has mainly been a goalscoring figure for the club’s reserve team, Austin FC II, thrilling fans with his ‘Jimmy Time’ goal celebration.

The moment of a lifetime came for him last month when he debuted for Liberia in their qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 26™ at home against Tunisia, and São Tomé and Príncipe. Better yet was scoring his first Liberia goal against the latter. To top it off, his father was there to see it in person, six years since he had last seen his son play.

Now back in Austin and hoping to see more first-team minutes in 2025, Farkarlun spoke to FIFA about his remarkable journey and what it would mean to help Liberia qualify for their first World Cup.

FIFA: How did it come to be that you left Liberia to play college soccer in the US?
Jimmy Farkarlun: I had an uncle who was in the soccer business, and he had my video and he sent it to Houston Christian coach, Ryan Pratt. They saw it, they liked me and decided to bring me over. Coming here, studying, going to school, it was difficult.

It was a very hard transition. I left my dad, my stepmom, pretty much my family back home. It was hard seeing them at the airport when I was leaving, and then coming to a place where I barely knew anybody, and could barely speak like they were speaking. It was hard, but I was able to fit in.

How has your experience been at Austin FC?
I love it. It’s been a great learning process. I’ve grown so much over the past two years I’ve been here. The city is great. The people here are great. The staff is incredible. It’s been an amazing experience for me.

In which areas have you improved as a footballer?
When I first got drafted, I just had talent, but I’ve grown with game knowledge, understanding the game from a different perspective, and being calmer and understanding what to do on the field. I’ve learned a lot more and I’ve matured so much.

You made your first team debut last year. What was that like?
I still don’t believe it, because four or five years ago I was not expecting to be where I am today. I dreamed about it and it was a special moment. No words can describe it. I pray to get more first team minutes and help the team as much as I can.

As football grows in the USA, do you think like there’ll be other young footballers from Africa that will follow in your footsteps and try to play here in college and professionally?
Yes, definitely. The Houston Christian coach recruited four more Liberians from where I was from, so we were five Liberians at Houston Christian. The same guy that brought me has brought 15 other people from Liberia to play here in the US. I would say that I’ve opened a lot of doors and I feel like the more I grow, people will be motivated and they will want to take the same path.

In the last international window you got called up for World Cup qualifying and got to go home. What was that experience like?
I was so excited to the point where like I didn’t feel hungry for almost two days! (laughs) Just to be playing on home soil, playing at SKD (Liberia’s home ground in Monrovia) is something I’ve been watching people do all these years and now I got to play there myself. It was unbelievable.

I was emotional because I hadn’t been home for almost six years. I hadn’t seen my dad in six years. I hadn’t seen some of my friends in six years. It was so important for me to represent my country because I’ve seen people play and not represent Liberia the way it’s supposed to.

When you made your international debut for Liberia against Tunisia, you’re in the stadium, you hear the anthem. What were you thinking about at that moment?
That was a special moment. I cried when I was singing the national anthem, but I didn’t get caught on camera, which was good (laughs). It was so deep. I could literally stand where I was and see my dad. For me, that was a special feeling. I was looking at my dad in the stands. That was so different because he’s not here in the US. For him to get to watch me play was amazing.

You scored in your second match against São Tomé and Príncipe. What went through your mind when you scored?
There was a first throw-in that went back post and that’s where I was supposed to be and I wasn’t there and the ball went out of bounds. I could hear my coach yelling on the bench, so I knew where to be on the second throw-in. I was back post, the ball came in. There was a six-foot dude who was jumping and about to head it. I couldn’t jump above him, so I had to head it before him and that’s what I did. It was special.

What do you remember from seeing your family after the game?
It was a beautiful feeling because it was not only my dad, I had my stepmom, all the family members, aunties, uncles who were there and cheering. Being able to see them and tell them thank you for coming and being there was a big deal.

How do you feel the national team are playing at present?
We play really good football and it shows how players in Liberia are growing outside. It is amazing to see us come together and fight for our country. It’s still close. We’re just two points away from second place. There’s everything to play for. I still think we got a chance and I still think we can make it.

What are the keys to Liberia getting good results in your final four games?
Playing away is hard. It’s never easy. In September, we have two away games, which are Tunisia and Malawi. It’s so important that we generate a spirit to win away from home, and I think we can do it. I think it’s about mindset and understanding that playing away is not easy, we just have to get the job done.

What would that mean to the country if Liberia qualified for the World Cup?
I can’t even say how much it would mean… We have players like George Weah, who was a Ballon d’Or winner, the best African player in the world and he did not take the country to a World Cup, so seeing us take Liberia to a World Cup would be one of the greatest achievements ever.

What would it be like back home if that were to happen?
People would go crazy. There’s so many Liberians here in the US If we make the World Cup, which I think we can do, I think we’ll have one of the best fan bases here in the US.