Ferrão: “I am proud to be compared to Ronaldo. I always dreamed of being like him."

Ferrão poses with the Champions Cup in the Barça dressing room at the Palau. Massimiliano Minocri

Although on Sunday he went out partying with the whole team to celebrate Barcelona's fourth futsal Champions League after undressing Sporting de Portugal (4-0), Carlos Vagner Gualarte Filho,

(Chapecó, Brazil; 31 years old) arrives ten minutes early for the appointment at the Palau Blaugrana, very refreshed, perhaps with a little allergy due to his dog.

"I just asked the doctor for an antihistamine," he reveals, always with a smile on his face and all kindness, far from having the ego that could confer him being the best player in the world, as he has been recognized in the last three courses .

He does not look at the clock once during the talk, he patiently poses for photos and when he leaves, he admits that he has come from Playa de Aro, where he was with his girlfriend resting for a couple of days, just to attend the interview.

He has scored 270 goals for Barça in seven seasons, 34 in 35 European games and is the top scorer in the final stages with 11. It's Ferrão.

Ask.

How was your passion for the ball born?

Response.

My father was a professional soccer player and whenever I could I went with him to the field for photos, to play with the other soccer players' children.

I don't know, I always liked having a ball around.

Although my mother did not like it so much because she always complained that she left many stains on the walls of the house.

So in the afternoons I would go to a nearby field and spend hours with friends.

Of course, if she didn't get good grades, I already knew they wouldn't let me go.

Q.

Who was your idol then?

R.

Futsal, Lenísio because he played in my position, although the best was Falcão.

And football, Ronaldo the

.

When they compare me to him [because of his football and even because of his tremendous physical resemblance] it makes me proud because I always dreamed of being like him.

P.

Also your father?

A.

Sure.

And my mother, who took me everywhere.

Without them she wouldn't be here and for that, with my first good salary, I gave them half as a thank you.

Although it is true that my father helped me become a professional because he was very critical of me;

he put a lot of pressure on me because he told me that he knew what he could give and that he would not accept if he gave less.

That made me like the pressure.

He knew what he was doing because in the First Division he played for Palmeiras, Gremio and Chapecoense.

Now they live there in Chapecó.

P.

Did the tragedy of 2016 affect you a lot, when the Chapecoense first team plane crashed?

A.

It was horrible.

A player, a friend of mine, was saved because he was injured and did not travel.

But there were deaths, others who lost their legs... he knew many.

In those moments, you realize that life is very short, that from one day to the next everything can change.

So we have to enjoy life and be good with ourselves, in addition to valuing the people who are by your side.

Q.

Do you?

R.

I try, yes.

It's normal because I left home at the age of 14 to play futsal and I've always been surrounded by friends.

P.

And how is it that you chose the room before soccer?

R.

Because it was more dynamic and the ball was touched much more.

It is true that when I was 17 years old, the Guild called me and tested me for three weeks in the summer.

But when they offered me the contract I couldn't sign it because I loved futsal.

I remember that my father was very angry because football has another social and economic dimension.

But he let me choose and that's why I wasn't wrong.

P.

After several teams in Brazil, the offer from Tuymen, a Russian team, arrived.

Didn't he think it was far away and that it would be very cold?

R.

It scared me a little because I knew my life was going to change completely, but I wanted to break down doors.

And it really was one of the best stages because I learned a lot.

Of course it's another culture, the people are colder, the weather I'm not even telling you... But I opened up and enjoyed it.

Now, the war with Ukraine makes me very sad because I never thought I would see something like this again in these times… It hurts me.

Q.

What did you learn in Russia?

R.

To strengthen the physique.

In the end, my game is a mix of all three countries.

The physique of Russia, the Brazilian technique and the tactics of Spain because very intelligent football is played here.

Q.

It hasn't gone bad for you… Do you consider yourself the best in the world?

R.

I look around me and sometimes I think: 'How could I beat this guy with how good he is?'

The prizes chosen by the others.

Honestly, I feel lucky with the

I have as teammates and rivals.

Of course, I have always trusted myself a lot because with the ball at my feet I am very clear that I am going to risk whoever is in front of me.

In big games, my teammates tell me I'm annoying because I ask them to pass me the ball because I'm going to try.

It's the only way to get things out, trying them.

Q.

But do you think about the tricks before doing them or do they come out right away?

A.

It depends.

Heels, for example, are trained a lot.

In the semifinals against Benfica, since physical contact is allowed in UEFA, I saw that I couldn't turn around and hit him well.

So I thought about the heel bump and it worked out.

But sometimes the goalkeeper comes out, you have your back to the goalkeeper and you have to invent a Vaseline.

What is clear is that you have to be focused and think fast.

Q.

Do you always have the goal in your head?

R.

I'm a pivot… Yes, of course.

It's not always the priority, but it's my job.

Although I think my house brand is spins because I always play backwards.

And it's not easy.

Q.

Are you superstitious?

A.

A lot.

I have hobbies like leaving the locker room last.

Or if I get stepped on, stomp back.

That stuck with me from Russia because they said it was bad luck.

Or also if I can't score a goal in two games with sneakers, I only use them to train, not to compete.

And a few more…

Q.

And how do you deal with losing?

A.

It depends on the way you do it.

If I don't give it my all, I get very angry.

But if I try to the end, not so much.

I remember that when I arrived at Barcelona we didn't win and it drove me crazy because we had to change the dynamic.

And that's why I didn't stop working, because I'm very competitive.

I don't like losing even in training.

But I always pick on my teammates because I understand that this raises everyone's level.

Q.

And why didn't they win at first?

R.

Over time I understood that they are cycles.

At the beginning, Inter almost always beat us.

Then we change the dynamic.

The important thing is to have a team made and reformulate it little by little.

Q.

Andreu Plaza, the former Barça player, was criticized a lot.

R.

How can you criticize someone who has won everything?

Q.

And what does Jesús Velasco bring you now?

R.

He gives us calm and solutions, he is a genius at that.

It is true that he leaves us space to say what we see, although he decides later.

More than anything because if you pay attention to him, the things he says happen.

Against Sporting I think we made the perfect final due to the result and the game.

They were not able to beat us, they got desperate.

P.

Like the Barcelona of football, you also want to have the ball more than the rival, right?

A.

It is because we have a very good touch on the ball.

We like possession.

Another house brand.

P.

Has anyone congratulated you for winning the Champions League?

R.

Coutinho and Alves, also Mirotic.

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