Ex-Maccabi Player Compares Dutch Football to Israel

The 23-year-old Brazilian, who has already won the Dutch Cup and Super Cup with his new team, spoke in an interview with Brazilian outlet Trivela about his life in the Netherlands, the differences in how young players are treated, and his time at Santos, also reflecting on his experiences in Israel. "This year I feel much more comfortable. I live in Amsterdam, and the first year was very difficult for me because of the cold. Even now it's getting colder and colder, but I already feel I've adapted and it's getting easier."

"I have a very good relationship with all the players. Almost everyone is the same age, it's a very young team. I also have a good relationship with the fans, they always come to the stadium and try to support us. I feel they welcomed me with open arms."

He also addressed the differences between Brazilian and Dutch football, particularly regarding opportunities for young players. "Here there is a bit more patience with players coming up from youth academies. It's not like that in all clubs in Brazil, but in some, a young player gets an opportunity, in one game he's average, in the next good, and in the third his performance drops. Suddenly he doesn't play anymore. Either he gives 100% in every game and gets a run of appearances, or he goes back to the bench and doesn't play."

"In Holland I see things differently," he continued. "At least on my team, they give young players minutes in every game so they can feel better and gain confidence. There's also not as much pressure from the fans. They understand there's an adaptation process when moving from youth to senior teams and try to support the players so they can develop in the best way."

"I left Santos a bit sad because I really wanted to do more for the club. It's the club that opened doors for me, I wanted to play more and help the team more. But things happen as they should, and we can't complain. These are God's plans. I think I left at the right time. It wasn't as I wanted, but I believe it was the best choice for me and my career."

Last April, Alkmaar won the Dutch Cup for the first time since 2013, defeating NEC Nijmegen 5-1 in the final. "It was amazing," he said of winning the Cup. "I looked around and saw most of the players crying. Besides being a title the club really wanted, for many of the players it was the first title of their careers. You could see the emotion and how much we wanted to win for the club. The celebrations in the city were crazy. We went around Alkmaar on the bus roof, it was a beautiful celebration."

Finally, he touched on his life off the field: "Life here is quiet, the quality of life is exceptional. I try to focus on football and not stray from the path, so I can have a great season."