After shining at Palmeiras, defender Thais transferred to Tenerife, Spain, where she has also stood out. The excellent form led coach Arthur Elias to call her up to compete in the Paris Olympics. In Teresópolis (RJ), with the Brazilian National Team, she feels fulfilled. But she wants more.
“Our group (Nigeria, Japan and Spain) is very difficult. We are working hard, improving our game plan. If we put Arthur’s work into practice, everything will be alright. We know the quality of our opponents, but we have our own value too.”
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With 13 days left until the Seleção’s debut at the Olympics, the anxiety at Granja Comary takes over everyone, the coaching staff and the players. Each one, however, has their own way of controlling this expectation while waiting for the first game. Thais, for example, turns to series and movies offered by a streaming service and online games.
“That’s how I can disconnect a bit and rest my mind. Even if it’s for a short time. But that’s important.”
In her free time, she also takes the opportunity to talk a lot with her family. Her closest contact is with her sister Bruna and her two nephews, Marcos, 12, and Gael, 3. “These two are my close ones. They’re always asking me about the training and will cheer a lot for the Brazilian National Team in the competition.”
In a few days, when she arrives in France, Thais already knows that one of her first tasks will be to take some photos and videos and send them to her relatives. “It will be a magical moment to be at the headquarters of the Olympic Games.”
