The defender Thales Lira, ex-Internacional, who also played for Guarani, Criciúma, Atlético Goianiense, Bahia, Vitória and Turkish football, finished another cycle in his career. The 30-year-old Brazilian defender played for PSS Sleman, Indonesia, in what was his first season on Asian soil. After achieving the goal of keeping the team in the top division, the Brazilian defender talked about his experience in the country and left his impressions on the top division of the league.
“It was a very good season for me. Football in Indonesia is very intense and demands a lot physically and tactically. The local players are getting better and better, and this makes the league very competitive. Indonesian fans are also very passionate, which made the experience very interesting,” said the defender.
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For PSS Sleman, Thales Lira was present in 88% of the games in the season, playing in 30 of the 34 games (29 as a starter). The defender also contributed with three goals. Now with the contract ended and the future uncertain, Thales projected what he expects for the next professional stage.
“I have some proposals to stay in Indonesia and I also received some contacts from people in Brazil. I don’t rule out returning now, but the main focus remains to play abroad. I will evaluate what is best for me and my family and I should make the decision in the next few weeks,” he concluded.
Career
Raised and trained in the youth categories of Internacional, Thales Lira has accumulated more than 230 games in his career. In addition to Colorado, his curriculum also includes: Guarani, Criciúma, Atlético Goianiense, Bahia, Vitória, Operário Ferroviário, CSA, Paraná Clube and Turkish football, where he played for Ankaraspor. He has 16 goals and two assists over more than 10 years of career.
Remembering Zagallo
Sambafoot Series launched a new documentary about the football legend Zagallo. Known as ‘Velho Lobo‘ and as superstitious as it gets, Zagallo helped shape what Brazilian football is nowadays — as a player and as a coach.
Watch the full series, available on Sambafoot’s Youtube channel.
