In 2008, Matheus Pereira’s father lost his job in the wake of the global recession, prompting his parents to move to Portugal without him in search of work.
Matheus spent a month at the Brazilian club Toca da Raposa, but his struggles to find transportation saw him give up.
Matheus spent a month at the Brazilian club Toca da Raposa, but his struggles to find transportation saw him give up.
Matheus left for Portugal at 12 years old and was quickly brought to Sporting’s academy. But despite being one of the biggest talents at Alcochete, he never got consistent opportunities, heading out on loan to Chaves, Nürnberg and West Brom before joining WBA on a permanent deal.
Matheus led the Baggies back to the Premier League, and even if relegation looked a foregone conclusion, he did everything he did to keep them up. He has seen a move to Monaco squandered at the last minute and his future at Sporting wasted, but he has never given up.
Now, Matheus has a chance to change his family’s life forever and earn a mouthwatering sum at Al-Hilal. He could have joined West Ham or another English club, but he instead prioritized his family’s long-term financial health. He’s earned that right and has fought for every inch.
It is a shame we won’t see a player of Matheus’ caliber in Europe next season, but at 25, there’s still plenty of time for him to make a return. For now, though, he will collect a well-deserved paycheck in Saudi Arabia and fulfill the dreams that he has carried since childhood.
Maybe Matheus joins West Ham, becomes an instant success, and quickly joins Chelsea, PSG, etc for the same paycheck as he’d have gotten in Al-Hilal.
Maybe he joins West Ham and gets ruled out for the season after suffering a horror tackle in a preseason friendly…
Maybe he joins West Ham and gets ruled out for the season after suffering a horror tackle in a preseason friendly…
At any rate, I'm glad the saga is now over. It was clear Matheus wasn't going to be a natural fit for Valérien Ismaël's high-pressing 3-4-3, and now, rather than being a distraction, he'll allow them to reinvest that much-needed money into a striker and other necessary signings.
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