Ex-Palmeiras centre-back returns after 394 days: ‘Believed’

In partnership with

Nosso Palestra

·21 May 2026

Ex-Palmeiras centre-back returns after 394 days: ‘Believed’

After 394 days away from the pitch, center-back Pedrão played again for Maccabi Haifa of Israel, bringing to an end a long recovery process from a serious meniscus injury suffered in April 2025. The defender came off the bench in the final minutes of the 4-1 win over Hapoel Tel Aviv on Tuesday (19), in the 35th round of the Israeli Championship.

A Palmeiras academy product, the defender went through one of the most difficult periods of his career and highlighted the mental strength needed to return to professional football after more than a year away from official matches.

OneFootball Videos

“It was a very challenging period for me, without a doubt. Anyone involved in football knows how difficult it is to stay away from the routine of matches and training for so long. I had some tough moments, but I never stopped believing in my recovery. I worked hard every day to come back stronger physically and mentally,” he said.

Pedrão also thanked those who supported him during his treatment. Before the injury, the center-back had played 16 matches in the Israeli Championship and the Israel State Cup during the 2024/25 season, helping Maccabi Haifa finish third in the domestic league and reach the cup final.

“I’m extremely grateful to all the professionals, family members, and friends who stood by me during this period. Now, I’m very happy and motivated to be able to do what I love most again, which is play football,” he added.

In this season, which began in August 2025, Pedrão played his first match. Before the game against Hapoel Tel Aviv, the 29-year-old defender had already been on the bench against Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Petach Tikva. Maccabi Haifa, the defender’s club, sits fifth in the competition.

Before joining Haifa in 2024, Pedrão had spent four seasons in Portuguese football, with spells at Nacional and Portimonense. In August 2024, when he signed a three-year deal with the Israeli club, he generated R$2 million for Verdão, which had already transferred the player to Portimonense in 2021 for €600,000, equivalent to R$3.6 million at the exchange rate at the time.

Pedrão in action for Maccabi Haifa (Photo: Disclosure / Maccabi Haifa)

Spell at Palmeiras

Pedrão was part of Palmeiras’ 2018 Brazilian championship-winning squad. A product of the club’s youth system, the center-back joined the club at the Under-20 level in 2017 after standing out for Água Santa, and was promoted by Luiz Felipe Scolari in 2018.

He was then loaned out to América-MG in 2019 and to Athletico-PR in 2020, when he won the Campeonato Paranaense.

Since moving to Europe in the 2020/21 season, the defender is now in his sixth consecutive season away from Brazilian football.

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