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Do you know how many games you have played for Macau and the Brazilian national team?
No, the games for Macau I have no idea neither how many tournaments.
Regarding the Brazilian team, since 2003 I’ve been being selected for it.
the U-18 team and after in 2004 I played another U-18 tournament and then I got into the adult team in 2005,
but the first tournament was in 2006, the South American Championship and from there until nowadays
I might have about 36, 37 international games.
What is your unforgettable match?
Unforgettable match…
There is one I remember pretty well, it was against Desterro,
for the 7-A-side tournament, we won 1-0 and then we played the final match against Florianópolis,
in 2007 or 2008, it was a very tough game and we won 1-0,
I scored this goal, with a beautiful one-two pass on a counter attack.
What meant for you the bronze medal from South American Championship?
That bronze medal was a huge victory, we’ve been battling a lot for it,
we already had won a medal at an Indoor tournament and one at the Pan Challenge,
but that medal was a trophy for everything we have been doing since last year,
with lots of international games to improve our level, and then it was surely the highest point for us,
everything we needed to see that we are on the right way.
Why do people call you “França” and why did you choose the number 16?
Regarding “França”, it was Bruno’s father who gave me this name, actually together with Rodriguinho,
because in the past I used to wear a very long hair and they told me I looked like França,
an ex- São Paulo player and then it continued like this.
The number 16, it was on my first tournament, the South American Championship, in 2006,
actually I wasn’t supposed to be selected for this tournament, but then I was selected and couldn’t choose a number
and they gave the number 16, so, since then, everything that happens in my life ends up containing the number 16.
How did you start playing field hockey?
Well, I had a neighbor, Augusto Barradas, he used to play for Casa de Macau,
then he invited me, the people at the building grew up together
and then we started playing, it was in 2003 and I never went out of it.
Who is your sport idol?
Wow, a sport idol?
Well, though question, I don’t know, I suppose not only at hockey, but thinking about other sports,
it is the athlete who dedicates and practices a lot,
I don’t think I have a specific idol, but I get touched with many stories I hear, their objectives, what they left behind,
I believe I don’t have a specific idol, every athlete has its own story and it always motivates me.
In your opinion, what are the best Brazilian players?
Nowadays, we believe there are many players to be considered and for me the best players,
the most technical ones are Lua,
Florianópolis player, Matheus, a young player from Carioca, very strong, fast, determined and playful.
my opinion, from the men, these are the two ones, regarding women,
Patricia Boss is a highlight, Talita, Lais, from Florianópolis, all of them play really well.
Do you consider yourself as the best Brazilian player?
No, no, of course not.
...
don’t know if I can say it or not, but I believe I used to be better than I am today,
but every day I improve myself, I’m concerned about what I can do, but I’m not the best, never.
Since you started playing, how do you evaluate the field hockey development in Brazil?
That is a tough question. Things got really better, I couldn’t say the opposite, new teams have been created,
however, in my point of view, there are many other things to be done, in all the states.
I believe the amount of teams we have in Brazil is still very small, from 2007 until nowadays,
it is not so much, even after the construction of the hockey field for the Pan-American games.
How do you see the scenario of the Brazilian Field hockey in 3 years from now, at the Olympic games?
It will be a long, long and tiresome journey, let’s say like this,
but we will sure present a different match than we are doing today,
with a much higher technical level, considering the teams we are going to play against,
but I can’t say we will win a medal because it is not possible,
but we can do good matches, it is just the beginning, there are still too many things to come.
What are the perspectives for Macau on Brazilian national league, as well for the other tournaments?
For this year, the perspective is, considering the trainings and the technical level which has been presented,
we have all the conditions to play good matches and I f everything goes well,
if we play correctly and do the basic stuff,
playing well, maybe we can achieve getting at the final match and win the tournament.
What is missing for Macau to win the Brazilian national league?
Nowadays, well, there are not enough training sessions, games, we miss the match level, with a highest speed.
We also miss a field in São Paulo where we could practice on a right space,
with the goal of not getting tired at the tournament, to have a good physical preparation.
Unfortunately, our sport is amateur, so there are other obligations, as school, college, job,
so you cannot dedicate yourself all the time for hockey, but the technical level is primordial
and the physical preparation is what is missing for us this year.
How has been the new experience of being coach from the female team and captain of the male team?
It’s been nice, I like it a lot, actually I always used to run away from this area,
I really wanted to be an athlete at the club, but I‘ve been enjoying it a lot,
I can see the results each day, both for male and female team.
It is a unique opportunity that I took and I hope it gets really well this year.
In the future, do you think you’ll be a coach after you stop playing?
Sure. That will never end. It will remain forever and I cannot leave hockey, it will always be part of my life.
This month, for instance, I’m completing 10 years at the sport
and I cannot see myself not playing hockey,
not participating, as a teacher, a player, a fan, there is no way to escape from it.
To end this interview, We want you to leave a message for the people who are getting to know both Macau and the field hockey.
Be welcome, if you have the opportunity,
there is a video that we explain why we chose hockey, it is indeed a family.
You’ll find friends, you’ll find partners who will take you to other places, they will give you new opportunities.
It is a wonderful sport and modality,
if you have the chance, get to know it, you’ll be welcome, you will really like it.