Interview with Brazilian striker Deivid de Souza: It would be a pleasure to play in Asia

Deivid de Souza

I received information that two I-League football clubs from India would be willing to sign the famous Brazilian forward Deivid. I immediately called him by phone through his press officer. He denies that received any offer from Indian football, but says that he is open to negotiate with anyone.

Detached from Coritiba FC, the Brazilian player is free to negotiate with other clubs. At 34, Deivid was one of the best Brazilian strikers in the past decade and is now living in the twilight of his career. He has already played for very popular football clubs like Corinthians, Santos, Cruzeiro, Sporting Lisbon, Fenerbahce and Flamengo.

Deivid, there were rumors that Indian clubs are interested to sign you. Did you receive any offer?Honestly, there has been nothing so far. I’m willing to listen to any offer, it would be a pleasure to play in Asia, which has an interesting football market. The football in China, for example, has grown a lot and is quite attractive. If anything comes up, I’m willing to negotiate.

During your career, were there offers coming in from that part of the world?On two occasions Nagoya Grampus from Japan sent officers to sign me. The team coach was also Brazilian – Nelson Baptista. I was playing for Santos FC at the time.

You played for huge popular clubs like Fenerbahce and Flamengo. Who were the most passionate fans you saw?The Fenerbahce fans in all aspects. That is full passion. In any game, there were 60,000 fans in the stadium, regardless of whether we were the away team, they always came to support us. I never played for Fenerbahce in an empty stadium. Moreover, they buy everything from the club, not just the official shirt. There are countless people in the club store at any time.

Deivid de Souza at Fenerbache

It was a very special experience working with the coach Zico, who was also at the Fenerbahce in that time?It was amazing. Zico pleased everyone there, players from many nationalities, leaders and supporters. When he left the club, everyone cried. He is a very sincere and charismatic person. A true football icon.

The Brazilian playmaker Alex even said that Turkish players usually come from youth system to the professional team with many technical defects. Did you notice that?Yes, I did. They don’t work well with young players in their youth system. Usually the Turkish clubs like experienced players, especially foreigners, to give the ‘touch’ of difference, improving the technical level. The local players only start to play a prominent role when they are 26-27 years old. Before that the clubs don’t bet much on them.

What was the best team you played?The Corinthians in 2002 and Cruzeiro in 2003. The ‘tiki-Taka’ that Barcelona is playing now , we already had that at the time; Fabricio was our Busquéts, Vampeta and Ricardinho created spaces with their accurate passes, me and Gil on the sides of the pitch and Guilherme as striker. All this with a lot of movement and exchange of passes, waiting for the right moment to score goals. We won the tournament Rio – São Paulo and the Brazil Cup.

And Cruzeiro?When we left the hotel towards the stadium, we already knew we would win the game. We had a lot of confidence and quality. Our coach Vanderley Luxemburgo, who set up that team, was the best coach I ever knew.

Many people are criticizing the new crop of forwards and strikers in Brazilian football. The only ones who escape unscathed is Neymar. Do you think if you were living at your peak today you would be playing for the national team?No doubt! Today I would play for the Brazil national team in an interesting position. Today, anyone who scores three goals in the game is called to the national team. In my generation, I had to compete with Edmundo, Dodo, Valdir, Euler, Rivaldo, Edilson, Luisão, etc. Everyone fighting for only one place to be on the bench for Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, Romario and Ronaldo.

Who was the toughest defender who marked you?Alex, who is now at Paris Saint-Germain, in France. When he emerged from Santos FC when he was only 20 years old, he was already very difficult to overcome. He marked very well. In Europe also there were numerous good defenders, but it is a different environment on the pitch; they mark more man-to-man and not the ball. Chelsea defender John Terry was the most difficult defender to face.

You won titles and were a successful player in almost all the clubs that you played, except at Ligue 1 side Bordeaux. How was your passage through the French football?French football has a strong African influence; it is a game of a lot of speed and strength. But it has evolved. Teams like PSG, Monaco, Lille and Lyon are playing an attractive game.

Name: Deivid SouzaPlace of birth: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 22/10/1979.Career: Nova Iguaçu (1998), Joinville (1999), Santos FC (2000-2001), Corinthians (2001-2003), Cruzeiro (2003), Bordeaux-FRA (2003/04), Santos FC (2004/05), Sporting Lisbon-POR (2005/06), Fenerbahce-TUR (2006-2010), Flamengo (2010-2012) and Coritiba (2012/13).