Ex-midfielder: I nearly joined Corinthians, chose Rio club instead | OneFootball

With a career marked by notable stints in European and Brazilian football, Nenê has built a solid trajectory over the years, playing for important clubs and gaining prominence wherever he went. Experienced, the midfielder has always stood out for his technical quality and personality on the field.

After a journey abroad, with stints at PSG, Al-Gharafa in Qatar, and West Ham in England, the player decided to return to Brazil in 2015. At the time, Nenê revealed that he received offers and was torn between two possible destinations: Corinthians and Vasco.

Photo: Daniel Ramalho/VASCO

At that moment, the São Paulo club emerged as a very attractive option. Corinthians was leading the Brazilian Championship and had a strong squad, making the project even more interesting. Even so, personal and professional factors ended up being decisive for the final choice.

“I was torn, I was going to Corinthians, I didn't know anything about Vasco. They were in first place (in the Brasileirão), they were doing well in the championship. I think Tite even talked about this once. I always try to weigh everything to make a decision”, he said in an interview with ge.globo.

Despite the favorable scenario at the São Paulo team, Nenê chose to accept the challenge of playing for Vasco. The choice ended up being significant in his career, mainly because of the prominence he had even in a challenging season for the Rio de Janeiro club.

“It worked out, so much so that I ended the championship as the fans' favorite player, the best in the championship elected by the fans in a team that was relegated. If I had gone to Corinthians, I would have just been another player. I wouldn't have been marked in Corinthians' history, for example, and at Vasco, I am a marked man”, he explained.

Without Nenê in the squad, Corinthians finished the season as the Brasileirão champion, with midfielders Jadson and Renato Augusto taking the team's spotlight. Meanwhile, Vasco finished the competition in 18th place and was relegated to Serie B.

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