After two-successive top-three finishes, 2018/19 has been a disaster for the Cheetahs. This descent towards the bottom has been a painful one for their skipper, whose posts on Instagram strongly hint at the imminent ending of a prolific four-year stint at Zabeel Stadium.
Sport360° caught up with the Brazilian to discuss his past, present and future:
Talk about your beginnings…
I started as a kid, of course. Always playing in the streets of Brazil. When I was 10, I had to move to the United State with my family, and there started to play again.
I broke all the records possible in the school and received many offers from all the top-seven universities in the country. But by the age of 16, I knew I was special and talented, so I decided to move back to Brazil so I could play professional. It worked well. I made it.
Why did Al Wasl fail this season? Three coaches have been hired, yet we see a terrible decline
Maybe the planning. A lot of competitions and not enough players in the squad to backup injuries and suspensions with the same quality.
You are the captain of the club and have scored 65 goals with Al Wasl in the UAE league, what does this mean to you?
I have almost 100 goals for Al Wasl in all competitions, That’s an incredible mark for me and I’m very happy.
It feels good to be such an important player in the history of the club. Being a captain is great. I’m a true leader. I try to be an example to the others.
What do you think of the UAE league’s level this season, and what team will decide the league?
The level is great and continues improving each year. Maybe Sharjah has a bigger chance, they are doing great.
In your opinion, why don’t many Gulf players move to Europe?
Maybe because most of them don’t need football as a living. The majority has a comfortable life here. In the UAE they have everything, so for them there’s no ambition to play outside.
What are your ambitions with Al Wasl? Everyone is expecting your departure because of what you posted on Instagram
I want to sit down and talk to the administration about my situation by the end of the season.
Who is the best foreign and local player this season in the league?
Best foreign player can be Welliton from Sharjah. He has a lot of goals. Local player, I would say Khalfan Mubarak from Al Jazira.
