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After their victory in the first leg (3-1), Marseille travels to Azerbaijan on February 24 to face Qarabag Futbol Klubu in the Europa League Conference. Arrived at the Qarabag club in 2012, the Brazilian Richard Almeida de Oliveira, known as “Richard”, has made his home there. To the point of embracing Azerbaijani nationality.
Far from his native Brazil, from the city of São Paulo where he was born, Richard Almeida de Oliveira, known as “Richard”, flourishes sportingly in Azerbaijan. To the point of having taken Azerbaijani nationality and playing for the national team.
Thursday, February 24 in the capital of Baku, he will challenge Olympique de Marseille in the round of 16 second leg of the Europa League Conference, the latest European competition launched this season. The Marseille club won 3-1 at the Stade Vélodrome. ” It was an important match for us. In football, nothing is impossible even if we respect the great Marseille team. In this return match, we will have our supporters. We want to give them happiness. We are confident Says “Richard”, attacking midfielder.
Arrived in Europe in Portugal
The man who mainly uses his left foot and who started out in futsal had arrived in Europe in Portugal where he started in 2010 with Gil Vicente Futebol Clube, in the second division. “ It was a good time, I still have friends there. We were a few Brazilians and we had a united, united group “, explains “Richard”.
“Richard” also passed through Kazakhstan and the United Arab Emirates before returning to Azerbaijan, initially at Zirə FK before joining Qarabag FK once more in 2021, where he won six championships.
« I never imagined spending so much time here in Azerbaijan. I am happy here. I discovered the Champions League. I came back to Qarabag FK, because it’s like my family and the coach is like our father. He helps us a lot. This club respects me. I can say that here I have already lived 10 years of happiness “says the one who has always been supported by his father since the age of four. Azerbaijan gained its independence when the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) broke up in 1991.
How to adapt so far from home?
« When I told my parents regarding Qarabag FK, they didn’t know where Azerbaijan was. We looked together on the internet. They didn’t really agree, because we saw that this country had had armed conflicts with Armenia. But for me, it was interesting financially. So I said “you have to try and we’ll see”, says “Richard”, who discovered a country ” sensational “and a club” very professional “. Above all, he multiplied his salary by six compared to the Portuguese period.
But how to adapt so far from home, in a totally unknown universe? “ The language of football is the game on the pitch “said simply the player who did not speak English. The club allowed him to take courses to express himself in the language of Shakespeare and to communicate with the staff and his teammates. “Richard” finally found his feet quite quickly. To the point that the coach of the national team wanted it. He tries to be naturalized following four years, while the country requires at least five years on the territory. FIFA refuses that he integrates the selection. He asks once more. It is formalized, and he then talks regarding it to his wife and his parents. ” I told my father that I had almost no chance of joining the Séléçao, and we all validated this option “. Today, he understands the Azerbaijani language very well, but struggles to speak.
Now, he has more than twenty matches to his credit with the team of “Tierra del Fuego” (Land of Fire). Back at Qarabag FK, he hopes to wear the jersey of Azerbaijan once more.
Now, “Richard” dreams – soon to be 33 – of finding a starting position in his team. The time of retirement still seems far away for this football globetrotter.
Interview by Marco Martins