'Fantastic moments': Payet recalls Vasco, rules out retirement | OneFootball

The magic of the historic number 10 Vasco shirt crossed the ocean and broke the European silence with declarations of eternal love. Midfielder Dimitri Payet gave an exclusive interview to the official Ligue 1 channel in France, and openly spoke about Vasco for the first time since his turbulent departure. The European playmaker took the opportunity on television to dispel rumors about hanging up his boots and made his strong feelings for the team clear:

To put an end to any speculation about the end of his journey in the sport, the experienced number 10 was direct in his message to the football market:

+ CRVG follows Johan Rojas' new relationship with Payet's ex-fling

Stunning Goal and Technical Decline

Payet's rollercoaster ride in Brazil reached its highest peak of glory at the end of the 2023 season. The player was the main figure for the Cruz-Maltino in the dramatic escape from relegation in the Série A of the Brazilian Championship. The iconic moment happened on the pitch at São Januário, when the star took a perfect free kick in stoppage time and secured a crucial 2-1 victory against América-MG.

The year 2024 started promisingly with good performances, but a tough and constant sequence of muscle injuries completely undermined the foreign athlete’s match rhythm.

Financial Burden for Vasco and Off-Field Scandal

The relationship of idolization began to irreversibly crumble during the 2025 season. Payet was unable to deliver the physical and technical performance expected by the board, making his extremely high monthly salary an unsustainable burden for the CRVG coffers. The trigger for the contract termination, however, was far from the official excuse of missing his wife and children in France.

The idol’s image plummeted after the athlete became involved in a huge off-field controversy with a lover in Rio de Janeiro, shattering the family-man narrative and forcing a melancholic end to his time in the country.

The star wore Vasco’s number 10 shirt – Photo: Thiago Ribeiro/AGIF

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