Matheus Pereira: Playing for my boyhood club brought me joy | OneFootball

The 2026 Campeonato Mineiro title had a special flavor for Cruzeiro and also for one of its main protagonists. After the 1-0 victory over their biggest rival, Atlético, on Sunday night (8th) at Mineirão, midfielder Matheus Pereira, Cruzeiro’s number 10, starred in one of the most emotional moments of the night as he recalled his journey of overcoming adversity.

The goal that secured the celestial trophy was scored by forward Kaio Jorge. With the result, Cruzeiro reclaimed the state title after a six-year drought, in a final marked by a great atmosphere at the Gigante da Pampulha, divided between supporters of both teams.

The team’s main technical reference in recent years, Matheus Pereira couldn’t hold back his tears after the final whistle. In an interview with journalist Pedro Rocha from GE TV, still on the pitch, the midfielder spoke about faith, family, and the personal struggles he faced before finding joy again in football wearing the celestial shirt.

The emotional speech from the number 10 quickly resonated among fans and teammates, who were celebrating on the pitch the end of the state title drought. Since joining the club, Matheus Pereira has become one of the symbols of Cruzeiro’s recent rebuilding, taking on a role of technical and emotional leadership within the squad.

The victory also reinforces the importance of the midfielder in the team’s offensive machinery: throughout the championship, he was a central piece in creating plays and directly contributed to decisive goals that took Cruzeiro to the final. In total, he played 9 matches during the state championship, with one goal scored and two assists.

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