Ex-Corinthians fitness coach details work with Memphis Depay | OneFootball

September 1, besides marking Corinthians’ anniversary, is also known as Physical Education Professional Day. Diego Pereira, who had a stint as Alvinegro’s fitness coach between July 2024 and April 2025, gave an exclusive interview to Lance! and shared details about the day-to-day individual work carried out with forward Memphis Depay while he worked with the player at Timão and outside the club.

Under the professional’s supervision, Memphis Depay reduced his injury rate and came to see Diego as a trusted professional. Before being signed by Timão in the second half of 2024, the No. 10 was coming off an injury suffered in that year’s Euro semifinal between England and the Netherlands.

Photo: Reproduction/Instagram

“I had the pleasure of working with Memphis during my time at Corinthians in 2024-2025, when he had gone two months without playing. His last appearance had been in the semifinal against England at the Euros. And, coming off a grade-two injury in that semifinal, in which they lost to England, I had to do progressive work, individualized work to minimize muscle strength imbalances, and we were able to achieve that balance and, progressively, clear him for controlled minutes so he could gain confidence while maximizing his best qualities.”

“And, without a doubt, this partnership began back in 2024, when I believe I managed to get him into his best physical shape since he arrived in Brazil, and maybe that was why he invited me after the World Cup to start individualized work with him,” he began.

After the Netherlands were eliminated by Morocco in the World Cup round of 32, in late June, and while negotiating his renewal with Corinthians, Memphis Depay began taking care of himself physically by doing individual work during his vacation. To help him, he called on Diego Pereira, who is currently without a club after spending a year at Internacional.

The fitness coach said the Dutchman’s biggest difference is his winning mentality, while also highlighting his physical and technical development: “Memphis is a top-level athlete, a world-class player, and I believe he may be in perhaps the best moment of his career, not only physically, but technically and mentally as well. So I think maybe Memphis’ biggest edge, besides the physical side, is a winning mentality that is far above average,” he said.

Between late March and May 2026, Corinthians’ No. 10 was sidelined due to a grade-two muscle injury in one of his thighs during a match against Flamengo in Itaquera in the Brazilian Championship. On that occasion, he left the field shortly before the end of the first half. That injury ended up affecting his performance months later in the World Cup.

Memphis Depay’s current moment

Corinthians’ No. 10 is having a season below expectations. In 17 games for Timão in 2026 (11 as a starter), he has one goal and two assists. Between late March and the end of May, Memphis was sidelined as he recovered from a grade-two muscle injury suffered in a match against Flamengo in Itaquera in the eighth round of the Brasileirão.

Between the injury diagnosis and the start of the World Cup, Memphis Depay played in only two matches for Corinthians, one coming off the bench (Atlético-MG – Brasileirão) and the other starting (Platense-ARG – Conmebol Libertadores), but being substituted by Fernando Diniz at halftime.

Even without playing since then, the player had been keeping himself physically protected, as he trained with Diego Pereira, Corinthians’ fitness coach between July 2024 and April 2025, who worked with the athlete during part of his time at Parque São Jorge. The professional is currently without a club after being dismissed by Internacional in early July.

He only returned to play for Corinthians on August 20, a Thursday, in the qualification for the Conmebol Libertadores quarterfinals. In the 1-0 win over Rosario Central-ARG, he provided the assist for midfielder Breno Bidon’s goal after coming on in the 25th minute of the second half in place of Pedro Raul.

Last Sunday (23), in the 2-1 loss to Coritiba at Couto Pereira Stadium in the 24th round of the Brasileirão, he was brought on by coach Fernando Diniz at halftime — he played 45 minutes and replaced Pedro Raul. In the match against Santos last weekend, in the 25th round of the national league, the No. 10 once again played the full 90 minutes for the first time since mid-March.

Memphis Depay’s numbers for Corinthians

Signed in September 2024 after his contract was not renewed by Atlético de Madrid of Spain, Memphis Depay arrived at Corinthians and immediately played a key role in the team’s surge in the previous Brazilian Championship edition (from the relegation zone to the Libertadores preliminary rounds), scoring seven goals and providing one assist in 11 matches in the national tournament.

Last season and at the start of this one, he was decisive in the title wins of the Campeonato Paulista (2025), Copa do Brasil (2025), and Supercopa do Brasil (2026), totaling two assists in those finals and playing an important role in the earlier knockout rounds. Wearing the Corinthians shirt, he has 20 goals and 15 assists in 81 matches — 41 wins, 18 draws, and 22 losses — a 58% success rate.

Before playing for Atlético de Madrid of Spain and Corinthians, he had spells at PSV in the Netherlands — where he came through the youth ranks — Manchester United (England), Lyon (France), and Barcelona (Spain). He is the fifth-highest foreign goalscorer in Timão’s history, behind Ángel Romero (67), Paolo Guerrero (54), Tévez (46), and Herrera (22).

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