Did Vasco pay Valdir Bigode or not? Check out the latest | OneFootball

After reaching an agreement with its creditors and having its Judicial Recovery plan approved, Vasco da Gama has begun the process of paying off past debts. Among the creditors is former striker Valdir Bigode, who is claiming amounts related to a labor lawsuit filed against the club.

On the morning of Wednesday (28), journalist Gilmar Ferreira reported that Valdir would be among the first to benefit from the plan and that the former player would have a credit of around R$ 5 million, to be paid in installments, in quarterly cycles, with a term that could reach up to ten years, according to the rules of the judicial recovery.

Valdir Bigode’s lawyers were, in fact, the first to sign on to the plan, which was approved by 97.7% of creditors, a step considered fundamental for the club’s financial restructuring.

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Valdir Bigode at Vasco — Photo: Agência Globo

Information about payment is disputed

However, hours later, a public disagreement arose on the subject. According to journalist Flávio Dias from the channel Atenção Vascaínos, Valdir Bigode has not received the amounts initially mentioned.

Therefore, so far, there is no official confirmation of immediate settlement of the debt with the former player. What is established is that Valdir’s credit is recognized in the judicial recovery plan, with payment scheduled according to the conditions approved at the assembly.

Valdir Bigode played an active role in the creditors’ assembly

At 53 years old, Valdir Bigode was one of the most active figures during the judicial recovery process. During the General Assembly of Creditors, held in Barra da Tijuca, the former striker gave a forceful speech in which he criticized the management of the plan and called for greater dialogue from the board.

In his speech, Valdir described physical exhaustion, years of waiting to receive the amount owed, and stated that he had been waiting for more than two decades in the creditors’ queue. After the speech, the assembly was temporarily suspended, but hours later, the plan was approved by a large majority, with almost 98% of votes in favor — including the former player’s own vote.

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Vasco’s Creditors’ Assembly — Photo: Reproduction

Judicial recovery as a turning point

Vasco’s board sees judicial recovery as a necessary step to halt the growth of debt, reorganize cash flow, and allow for a new sporting cycle. Starting in 2026, the club will begin paying annual installments estimated between R$ 25 and R$ 30 million, according to the approved plan.

With this, Pedrinho’s management believes the club will be able to regain credibility in the market, avoid new liabilities, and gradually build more competitive squads. Since the beginning of the term, Vasco has already reached a Copa do Brasil final and has adopted a more cautious approach to signings.

Current status of the Valdir Bigode case

Vasco has not yet officially commented on the amounts or the exact payment format to the former striker.

Read Valdir Bigode’s speech:

“…You can sue me, do whatever you want. I’ll go to the last day. This money belongs to me, it’s my family’s. I worked for this, I worked… My back is all messed up, three surgeries… I worked for other clubs too, but I played football for this. I wanted to have some respect from those who will manage. With all due respect to everyone, the people doing this are getting their salaries on time. And I wanted to get mine. I have been patiently waiting for almost 20, 21 years. A lot of people made deals. I don’t care about other people’s lives, I want to see mine. I’m number 22 or 23 and number 33. I’m waiting. Nobody reached out to me.

I got a horrible contract. There’s no answer. I don’t know if you’ll notice. I don’t know how you’re going to do it. The least I know about this, legally speaking, I won’t even use better words because I don’t have them. I didn’t study for this… The line goes on. Two million a month, two and a half million a month. Keep paying the creditors. I’m not speaking for anyone, but I know, I have friends. I never wanted to get paid before, because those ahead of me are my friends. They worked with me. Those behind are also friends.

I didn’t want my name… “oh, Valdir got paid because he’s a friend of Eurico, because he’s a friend…” No, I’m waiting in line, patiently. With all due respect, the words here, I don’t know if I was rude, maybe I was, but with respect. Think carefully about this, about this recovery, the way it’s going to be done, a better plan… I made a deal with Atlético-MG in the past, I wasn’t the same player I was at Vasco, I was invited to accept, I accepted. Because it was very smooth for the club and for us. It was a fair deal for us, very fair, and for the club too. They never reached out to make a deal, I’m not saying I was better or worse than anyone else. I’m saying that as a Vasco player, I came up through the youth ranks, I represented and I represented as a professional.

This here, legally, there’s no way… Pay attention to the amounts, everyone needs it. I need mine too…

Valdir, with all due respect to you, I’m going to ask you to finish your statement. With all due respect, but there are more people who need to speak and now is really not the time for us to discuss anything in that sense.

Can I have one more minute? I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I know, I’ll finish. But I, well, I disagree with you on one point. This is the only moment I have. No one will ever listen to me again, just like they haven’t. It’s been 21 years, no one has listened to me. (interrupted by applause).

I could have made several kinds of deals. I patiently waited in line, I’m number 33, I was scheduled to receive, if it weren’t for sick people and the elderly moving ahead, that’s fine with me too, it’s within the law… But I was supposed to get paid by next year. I hope, I don’t know if my voice will have any effect, but at least I’ll go home at peace.”

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.