Given South America has consistently produced some of the world’s finest players, it’s somewhat baffling that they have often struggled to make an impact in the Premier League.
Two of Manchester United’s most trumpeted signings—Juan Sebastian Veron and Angel Di Maria—were hugely underwhelming during their time in England, with the physical nature of English football and the difficulty adapting to the culture and climate cited as reasons for their struggles.
Manchester City rocked the football world when they signed Robinho from Real Madrid back in 2008. Having been taken over by Sheikh Mansour and instantly becoming the richest side in the game, City wanted to flex their newfound financial muscle and make a statement of intent.
Robinho served that purpose but failed to consistently make his mark on the pitch, with his appetite for away games questionable at best.
Hernan Crespo moved to Chelsea from Inter Milan with a reputation as one of the best strikers in the world, but he found goals harder to come by in the Premier League than in Serie A. Kleberson arrived at Old Trafford touted as a star, only to fail spectacularly. And Radamel Falcao, although beset by injuries during his time in England, has failed to live up to the almost mythical status he achieved during spells with Atletico Madrid and Monaco. The less said about Mauro Boselli’s time at Wigan, the better.
There have, of course, been success stories. Juninho lit up the memorable Middlesbrough side of the mid-to-late ’90s, and Gus Poyet was a star of Chelsea’s renaissance during the same period.
At that time, though, there were very few South Americans in the Premier League. They were either reluctant to join, preferring climates and cultures more akin to the ones they grew up with, or treated with suspicion by managers of English clubs fearful of failure.
But in recent years, more and more are moving to England and thriving. Chelsea’s contingent of Oscar, Willian, Ramires and Diego Costa were central to their recent league-and cup-winning season, and Sergio Aguero is perhaps the best striker in the division. Alexis Sanchez has excelled for Arsenal, Enner Valencia has shown flashes of quality for West Ham, and Philippe Coutinho is Liverpool’s most consistently impressive player.
So what’s it like for a South American footballer arriving on these shores?
“To be honest, it is quite difficult,” Fernando, Manchester City’s Brazilian midfielder, told Bleacher Report through a translator.
“For South Americans, we’re used to being in the sun, but I’m not looking for excuses and I’m not going to put this place down. I have a strong belief that if God put me here, then I need to overcome any obstacles and succeed and make it here. I am very thankful for the city I am in and the club that I am in.”
Fernando signed from Porto in the summer of 2014, and his first season wasn’t as successful as he would have liked. City struggled to replicate the style that brought them success in the previous campaign, with a collapse in form at the turn of the year ending any hopes they had of silverware.
They won just four of 15 games across all competitions between mid-January and mid-April, and only a six-match winning run right at the end of the season saw them guarantee themselves Champions League football in 2015/16. For a side that began the year hoping to retain their title and improve their European performance, it simply wasn’t good enough.
His own form, too, was poor. After man-of-the-match performances in the opening two games of the season, he suffered a groin injury against Stoke City. When he returned, he couldn’t get back to his best and produced a series of underwhelming displays, playing through constant pain and discomfort.
“I had a great preseason [in 2014] and I arrived on top of my game,” he says. “I was able to play really well.
“Unfortunately, I picked up an injury that set me back a bit. I never could get back to my best. I tried hard, I kept playing, but I felt pain.
“I’m getting stronger and better now, and hopefully I can get back to the top of my game like the beginning of last season.”
His groin injury resurfaced and kept him out of the first month of this campaign, but he played in Tuesday’s League Cup win away at Sunderland and then again at White Hart Lane on Saturday where City lost 4-1.
“It was a groin injury, a very painful one as well. I have seen specialists and I have been working with specific exercises every day at the gym in order for the pain to go away. I’m feeling good.”
He has returned to a squad that looks far more determined and hungry for success than at any stage last season.
“We have started the season very focused,” he says. “Last season we were a bit relaxed. That’s the main difference.
“Everyone has started on the same page now—very focused on the objective. We need to remain doing this because the main objective is to win the league at the end of the season.”
Fernando grew up in Alto Paraiso, a small town in the north-east region of Brazil, known for its agriculture and beautiful natural landscape, a haven for neo-hippies in search of a spiritual holiday experience. “It was a nice childhood,” he remembers fondly. “Sometimes difficult, even though my parents tried to do the best they could.
“All the memories I have are of playing on football pitches with my friends or on the streets. It’s a nice city. There’s a lot of tourists who go there. But it was a nice, quiet, reasonable childhood.”
It was also a childhood dominated by his love of football. “The very first memories I’ve got are of playing football in the streets with my friends and sometimes, when a car was driving by, we’d have to remove the goal and stop the game! I also remember playing in school tournaments with my friends.
“I was always one of the best guys on the street. When I’d play with my group of friends, I was always one of the best ones. But when I really started dreaming about playing professionally was when my older brothers all went for trials at clubs and they didn’t make it, then I went for a trial and passed. That’s when I started dreaming about a life in football. I’m very thankful of where I am today.
“There were several people who helped me achieve my dream but mainly my family—my parents and my brothers. Basically, I was 16 years old when I left home and had to move to a different city, and it would not have been possible without the love and support of my family. When you are a teenager, you rely on them, so my family were my main support.”
Brazil has a rich history of producing some of the best attacking players the game has ever seen. Pele, Zico, Garrincha, Rivelino, Rivaldo, Socrates, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Romario, Neymar—it’s a who’s who of the world’s finest.
So who did Fernando, an out-and-out defensive midfielder, model his game on? “A player I’ve always admired is Gilberto Silva. He played here in England as well [with Arsenal]. I’ve always admired him very much.”
He enjoyed huge success at Porto, winning four league titles, a Europa League and two Portuguese cups. It was a glorious period for the club, with Fernando seen as a key member of the side.
His transition into the City team has been more difficult, but his hunger for silverware remains as strong as ever: “My main objective is to do what I did in Porto. I arrived there and won titles. I have been here and I’ve not been able to win any titles yet, so I need to work very hard, help the team and we need titles, that’s what the fans want.”
His task now will be to force his way back into Manuel Pellegrini’s side, a far more difficult ask than it was last season. With Yaya Toure and Fernandinho back to their best, finding a role in the side won’t be easy.
It’s arguably the biggest challenge of Fernando’s career to date, but if he can manage it, he has a wonderful opportunity to add further honours to his already impressive list.
Fernando wears the new Baltic/Serene Green New Balance Visaro football boots, designed for players who “Make Chances.” To find out more about New Balance Football go to http://ift.tt/1ArbQ9M or follow @NBFootball on Twitter and Instagram. All quotes were gathered firsthand.
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