While the signing of Fernando Diniz in Brazil may have taken some by surprise, it was surely welcome news for Bruno Guimarães. Long before he became a star for Newcastle in the Premier League, the current Fluminense manager saw the potential in the midfielder.
Their paths first crossed at Audax-SP, when Diniz invited a young Guimarães to join the first team. A few years later, the coach took him to Athletico Paranaense, where he made the definitive leap in his career to be able to play in Europe.
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Bruno Guimarães explained the importance of Fernando Diniz in his career
In a long interview with UOL, Guimarães explained in detail how important Diniz was in his early days as a professional player.
“I was 16 years old when I left home. An only child, super attached to his parents, you know. I will not say that I have had a bad time. I never had luxuries, but I never went hungry either. At that time, I left Rio de Janeiro and went to live in São Paulo, I went from Audax-RJ to Audax-SP. When I arrived, I shared a room with 22 other children, some rats and some leaks. I slept under the stands, in the heat. Ah, how I missed my family, my friends and my home… But I’m telling you: these difficulties made me appreciate the life I had and grow a lot as a man and also as a player. Largely because of a guy named Fernando Diniz,” said the player.
“Imagine the scene: me, who for a while was scared playing ball, I felt bad and even vomited before games, skinny as hell, I had no strength, listening to Diniz tell me ‘you’re going to be a spectacular player.’ And I just thought ‘this guy is crazy’. He told me that I would be good at whatever profession I chose because I was diligent and determined. For me, he is a genius,” he said.
Now 25 years old, the Newcastle man remembers with great joy the first steps he took thanks to Diniz, whose great ability as a group leader stands out. “The things he manages to do with the quality of the teams he’s worked for… To be honest, he’s the only one who led Audax to a Paulistão final, remember? You can see that after he left, the team just fell. He’s a unique guy, a fundamental person,” he added.
The news that his mentor will take over the Brazilian team, of course, cheered Guimarães, who maintains that he fully deserves it. De Diniz will never forget that he was the first to make him debut as a professional, when his interest in the sport was on the decline.
“The craziest thing is that before going to Audax in Rio, I had already given up field football and decided that I would play futsal. After that, my move to Audax and my promotion to the professional category, Athletico-PR took an interest in me. I went there on loan with a purchase option, I played for Paulista again, but then Fernando Diniz appeared again, who had gone to Athletico, asking him to keep an eye on me,” the midfielder recalled.
The possibility of being called up
Despite the fact that hiring Diniz could give him more chances of being considered for the national team, Guimarães assures that his excitement lies more in seeing the coach recognized: “I’m happy. Whether or not he calls me up doesn’t matter to me. What will take me to the national team is the club. But I’m happy for him, I know his life story. I’m more happy for him than for me”.
“I’m happy for him, for the story of his life, for having met Diniz when I was 15 years old. I was just a child and I will be forever grateful to Diniz, even if he wasn’t the coach of the national team, even if I no longer worked with him. He was the guy who opened the doors of professional football for me,” added the former student of the new Brazilian coach.
Diniz will have an interesting challenge ahead, with the initial leg of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. His contract will run until June 2024, when Carlo Ancelotti is expected to finally take the reins of the team. Will there be a reunion between Diniz and Guimarães to defend the colors of their country?
