Memphis opens up on struggles and reveals behind-the-scenes at Corinthians

In partnership with

Central do Timão

·19 February 2026

Memphis opens up on struggles and reveals behind-the-scenes at Corinthians

By Henrique Vigliotti/Central do Timão Editorial Team

With almost two years at Corinthians, forward Memphis Depay remains the main highlight for the black-and-white team, and in an interview with Romario TV, he pointed out the main areas where he has already adapted and where he still faces difficulties at Corinthians and in Brazilian football.

When asked about the difference between football in the Netherlands and Brazilian football, the number 10 highlighted the tactical aspect as the main difference: “Yes, of course. It depends on what people think is important. Last year, I scored eight goals for the Dutch national team in eight games. At Corinthians, I don’t know, I think I scored 10 goals in 51 games. Something like that, I’m not sure. It’s a big difference in terms of productivity, here there’s a different way of playing. I think in Europe, technically, we grow up knowing what we need to do on the field to make the game easier. In Brazil, it’s more about heart. Sometimes, I have trouble reading the game.”

OneFootball Videos

Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Ag. Corinthians

Memphis was also straightforward when talking about the political environment at Corinthians and the difficult moments he has faced at the club: “Ask someone to bring my book (laughs). I have the feeling that many people work against Corinthians, so when a guy like me arrives in the country, with my character, with my personality, and the team starts doing well, the fans start to see that the old days of winning trophies (are coming back), this doesn’t sit well with some people. You have some aspects, like the details of my contract, that people find hard to accept and have their opinions about. Everything is on display, except, sometimes, the truth.”

“For me, one of the biggest challenges is that I can’t stand injustice. I’m a guy who is always direct, I’m not perfect, but I know what I think and I want the best. It’s a challenge, people work against the club, they block the potential for growth in structure and finances. Corinthians is one of the biggest clubs, one of the ones that generates the most revenue, but at the same time loses a lot of revenue. What’s the problem? I don’t want to expose everything, but I know a lot. I want to help, you have to say things that aren’t nice, but, again, I’m a football player. The media can put out news every day, there are 40 million fans and if 10% believe it, that’s already a lot of people.”

“I’ve never had problems with politics. I don’t want to get involved with that, I’m a football player. You hire me to do my job, score goals, provide assists, bring Corinthians to the world. If we show the revenue generated since I arrived, you have ESPN broadcasting in another country the titles we’ve won. I’ve never had problems with politics, but they have problems with the management of the club or, sometimes, for their own interests. This needs to end, when it ends, the potential will be huge and we’ll really start to see things that have never happened before. Speaking in terms of global impact, with this fanbase, we can do better, much better,” Memphis concluded.

It’s worth remembering that Memphis arrived at Corinthians in the middle of the 2024 season and has a contract valid until June 20, 2026, with almost exactly four months left on his contract with the black-and-white club. Since his arrival, he has played 70 matches for Timão, scored 19 goals and provided 15 assists, having scored in the final of the Copa do Brasil and winning three titles.

See More: