FourFourTwo UK – September 2019

UPFROnT

32 September 2019 FourFourTwo

You’re the last member of Brazil’s

World Cup winning squad still going

strong. Are you still enjoying playing?

Of course! I have to if I still want to be

playing at my forties, training every day.

I’m playing for Brasiliense, a small club

in my home town. As long as I can

perform on a good level, I’ll keep going.

What’s it like in Brazil’s fourth tier?

It’s a brutal difference to everywhere

I’ve ever been, but despite leaving Brazil

to play abroad at a very young age,

I knew what to expect. The conditions

aren’t the same, but it gives me the

chance to do what I love, and pass on

my experience to help young kids in

their careers. I still love the game: these

days, I take football more like a hobby.

Brazil’s road to the final. I have Big Phil

Scolari to thank. During the qualifiers,

we were at the hotel and he met my

mum, who was walking down the hall

with me. He told her to encourage me

to open my mouth more, to be more

talkative. He said ‘Your son is a good

boy, very polite, hard-working – but he’s

always quiet.’ I was so embarrassed! It

was hilarious. I’ve always been shy, but

from that day I changed my attitude on

the pitch. It worked.

Do you remember that Michael Owen

goal in the quarter-finals?

I made a mistake. Someone sent a long

pass towards our box, my eyes were on

him and I didn’t even notice the ball

hitting my leg and running away from

Are opponents more motivated when

they play against you?

I can see it in their eyes! They’re

obviously more motivated, but they

respect me a lot – sometimes they ask

to take a photo! I could never imagine

an opponent doing that in my glory

days. Here they see me as an

example, a guy who made it to

Europe and became

a World Cup winner.

Are you still in

touch with

your team-

mates from

2002?

Yes, I still

talk to

many them: Cafu, Kaka, Gilberto Silva,

Marcos, Ronaldinho, Edmilson.

Can they believe you’re still playing?

They call me a ball-hog! They always

say I should make room for young

players, stay at home and take care of

my children! They’re all my friends

and they respect me. The decision

to retire is a very personal one.

You had a pivotal role in that

side. How special was winning

the World Cup?

It was a dream –

I was one of only

three players who

played every

minute of

LUCIO

INTERVIEW

Still playing at the age of 41, the 2002 World Cup winner hails Scolari and Mourinho – but not Louis van Gaal