Ex-Corinthians keeper Dida backs club: “I had a fantastic spell here” | OneFootball

Former goalkeeper Dida recalled his time at Corinthians and highlighted the affection he still has for the club. In an interview with Gazeta Esportiva, the Corinthians idol said he still supports Timão and praised the fans’ recognition for the moments he experienced wearing the black-and-white shirt.

With 95 matches played, Dida ranks as the 20th goalkeeper with the most appearances in Corinthians’ history. Although he did not score any goals for the club, the former player is remembered mainly for the titles he won and his performances during the period in which he played for the team.

Photo: Disclosure / Corinthians

In a recent statement, Dida said that even though he no longer follows football closely, he still keeps up with Corinthians and maintains a special relationship with the club.

“Unfortunately, I no longer follow football closely. I really support Corinthians because I had a spectacular spell here. We were champions. Even today, I’ve already met several Corinthians fans here, and that makes me very happy, because I think they still recognize me for what I did for the team. I hope Corinthians keeps growing, because it is a great team, with great supporters... We’re happy when Corinthians wins,” he said.

The former goalkeeper also highlighted the importance of the recognition he receives from the fans and reinforced his desire to see Corinthians continue to grow. During his time at the club, Dida was part of one of the most successful periods in the black-and-white club’s history, with national and international titles won between the late 1990s and the early 2000s.

During his spell at Corinthians, Dida played 95 matches, all as a starter, between 1999 and 2002. The goalkeeper totaled 53 wins, 22 draws, and 20 losses. With the club, he won four titles: the 1999 Brazilian Championship, the 2000 FIFA Club World Championship, the 2002 Copa do Brasil, and the 2002 Rio-São Paulo Tournament.

Dida arrived at Corinthians in 1999 and made his debut on August 10 of that year, in a 3-0 victory over Vélez Sarsfield in the Copa Mercosur. On that occasion, the then-25-year-old goalkeeper started at José Amalfitani Stadium in Argentina. The former player’s last match for Timão took place on May 15, 2002, in a 1-1 draw against Brasiliense Futebol Clube in the Copa do Brasil. At 28 years old, Dida started the match at Serejão Stadium.

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