Deco is worth a look

The English weather is cold. How are you coping up?
Not too bad. I have been here for eight months. It’s colder than anywhere I have played before. But it’s not too bad. I am enjoying.

How is playing in the English league different from the Spanish league? Have you faced any difficulty in adjusting?
The Barclays Premier League is, I would say, one of the top leagues in the world. The standard is very good. It’s very big internationally also. Everyone wants to play here. I would say it is physically more demanding. I have played in Portugal and Spain.

Here the game is much faster. When you get the ball, you pass. You cannot try to be too clever. You have be strong and quick. The tackles are harder. It is a challenge for me but I think I am doing well so far.

Playing in England can be hard considering the media glare the players are under constantly — professionally and privately.
Yes, that is true. But I am here to play football. I don’t bother too much about other things.

What do you make of Chelsea’s chances in the league? Scolari’s exit would have surely unsettled things.
It is going to be a tough fight for us. We have to win all our matches and hope for some luck. I would say winning the league is difficult, unless we have some luck going our way. I don’t want to say anything about Scolari leaving the club.

But what does it mean for your future? Are you contemplating leaving Chelsea since it was Scolari who brought you in?
I don’t know. I can’t say. I have a three year contract with the club. It’s a big club. I am playing well. I am doing well. I am going to honour the contract. But I don’t know about the future.

What do you think of your Portugal teammate Cristiano Ronaldo? Is he the best player in the world?
Oh, Cristiano is a very good talent. He has scored many goals. And he has played very well for Manchester United. He is the best player in Manchester United. He is a great footballer. I enjoy playing
with him.

You are a Brazilian, playing for Portugal? Did you ever feel like an outsider?
I love Portugal. It is my home now. I have many fans in the country. It is a beautiful country. I have been playing in Portugal for many, many years. I came to the country as a 19-year-old. And only good things have happened since. I was chosen to play for Porto under Jose Mourinho and then for the Portuguese national side. I love going to Portugal.

What did your family back in Brazil say when you decided to play for Portugal?
I think it was an important decision for me, for my career. I wanted to play international football. I had played and lived in Portugal for long. So it was totally my decision. And I am very happy today because of it. Portugal has given me a lot.

You played your first international game for Portugal against Brazil, in which you scored. How did that feel?
It was difficult, of course. It was a big day, international debut for me. But, I had to treat it like any other game. Playing against Brazil was never going to be easy. It turned out to be a very good game for Portugal and for me too. I scored a good goal and Portugal won 2-1. It was after a very long time that Portugal had beaten Brazil, 40 years may be I think. It was good for me, the game.

Can you tell us something about your childhood?
I grew up in Brazil. Everybody plays football in Brazil. Even I did. I played and learnt the game on the streets. I was picked for Corinthians when I was about 17 and played there for a while, before I moved to Portugal. I played for big clubs like Benfica and Porto, before I moved to Barcelona in Spain.

Who has been your childhood hero?
It would have to be Diego Maradona. He was a great player and really enjoyed watching him play. He is the best footballer of all time.

Any of the contemporary players you really like?
I think it would have to be Ronaldinho.