Weverton unveiled at Grêmio, explains Palmeiras exit | OneFootball

Weverton was presented at Grêmio early this Friday afternoon in an official club press conference. The 38-year-old goalkeeper joins the southern team at no cost, after amicably ending his contract with Palmeiras.

Asked about what made him accept the offer and terminate his contract with Palmeiras, Weverton emphasized that he is ready for a new mission: “What brought me here was the greatness of Grêmio. I’m someone driven by challenges, I love a challenge. I feel very well prepared to take on this challenge. Maybe that’s the biggest question people have: ‘Why would you trade stability or comfort?’ And that’s exactly why, because I am a high-performance, top-level athlete who loves what I do, who loves to work and dedicate myself. Fábio (Fluminense) is a great example of how a dedicated goalkeeper can perform at a high level at 45, 46 years old.”

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Debut at the club

For now, there is no expected debut date, but the goalkeeper stated that he is ready. “I had a minor hand injury, a small fracture, but I’m already 100% recovered from that, it’s been almost a month since I returned to training, even during my vacation, I gave up my time off to train well, to come back strong. The timing of my debut will be up to the coach, whenever he feels he can count on me. We know there’s competition for the goal, the goalkeepers that (the team) has here.”

Weverton also spoke about the project offered. “You get to know a project first by the seriousness with which people handle things, how they treat you, the importance they give you, and the way everything is handled with respect. Football is tough, it’s hard, but with a lot of work and seriousness, you can compete at the highest level.”

Pressure at the new club

Another issue raised was the pressure and closeness of the fans with the club from the south. “That pressure, I see as natural, I think everyone here wants the same thing, we have the same goals, and so do the fans. But I also notice that they support us just as much, they support us unconditionally. We always have to be prepared, my career has been based on that. I know how to live through good moments, but I also know how to live through bad moments and that’s what got me here,” he concluded.

  See this photo on Instagram   A post shared by Grêmio FBPA (@gremio)

Weverton was part of a title-winning run for years at Palmeiras, and the player spoke about the experience he can bring to the squad. “I would have loved to have (when I was younger) someone like I am today, to be able to share what they’ve been through. Experienced players used to be tougher, more serious, and gave more orders. Today things are different, we like to teach, to share past experiences. The locker room is something sacred, players need to have harmony. You only build a winning team if everyone is willing to put their own ego aside. That’s my mission from now on, to help not only on the field—obviously, my main job is to keep the goal safe—but also to contribute with my experience.”

Emotional resilience in his career

Another topic related to the experience the goalkeeper has built throughout his career is his resilience. Asked about building his mental health, Weverton also spoke about the need to strengthen oneself.

“This is an increasingly strong and serious topic. Not only athletes need to take care of themselves, everyone should take care of their mind. What I’ve learned in all these years of my life is to understand and know that ‘who I am,’ I am in both good and bad times. It’s hard for an athlete to play well their whole life, at some point they will face difficulties and that’s normal, but knowing who you are at all times is fundamental. Sometimes, when things don’t go so well, the pressure and criticism usually come, and you start to believe that’s your destiny, what people think, and that’s when you start to sink. So, I think mental health, and strengthening yourself mentally, is fundamental to achieving anything in life,” Weverton replied.

Again speaking about his former club, the player talked about one of the characteristics he sees as crucial to their recent history. “One of the characteristics of Palmeiras that I can mention is the human side; the club can never treat people only as service providers. Palmeiras always tried to treat people as humanely as possible. I respect those who can separate the personal from the professional side, but I can’t. If I’m a good husband, a good father, a good son, I’ll also be a good athlete, I’ll be a dedicated athlete. This human side cannot be separated from us, it’s about respect.”

Longevity of a goalkeeper

Weverton arrives at Grêmio at 38, considered an advanced age for an athlete. The player explained that he sees a goalkeeper’s career differently. “A goalkeeper’s life is a bit different from that of an outfield player; sometimes it takes a goalkeeper a little longer to mature, because it requires experience, perception, anticipation of plays. Sometimes people look at age, but for a goalkeeper, I’d say the peak is after 30 (years old).”

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