In an interview with L’Équipe, Jorge Sampaoli admitted to having warned Dimitri Payet that he wouldn’t fit into Brazilian football. The Argentine coach, who met the French midfielder during his time at Olympique de Marseille, revealed that Payet called him before signing with Vasco da Gama to get insights about Brazil, where Sampaoli had worked.
“When he signed with Vasco, he contacted me. I told him to be careful because this was not the type of football for him, as it involves a lot of travel, requires a lot of energy, and is a highly watched league. He would arrive at a place where the level of demand would be very high, and the intensity level, almost excessive. But he came, he’s motivated and happy there. And that makes me very happy for him,” said Sampaoli, who worked with Santos, Atlético Mineiro, and Flamengo.
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Sampaoli mentions the key to Payet’s performances
Payet enjoyed his most fruitful season under Sampaoli, with 16 goals and 13 assists in the 2021/22 season. In September 2023, he decided to move to Rio de Janeiro, where he contributed to Vasco’s survival with two goals that helped defeat Fortaleza and América Mineiro.
The French player has already lost eight kilos since joining the carioca team and has shone in the preseason games the club played in Punta del Este, Uruguay.
“You don’t tell Payet to drop back to get the ball. He should stay near the opponent’s area and wait for the ball. Because sometimes, when he retreats too much, he doesn’t have things clear in his head. It’s not Payet who should come to you; it’s you who should go to him. When the ball reaches Payet, he turns and surveys the field, you know something will always happen,” added Sampaoli.
