Wesley’s jaw-dropping journey
The Villa ace has some stories...
Aston Villa’s record signing is 6ft 3in tall, weighs 15 stone and has just 6.9 per cent body fat. For once, in our life, however, Fourfourtwo isn’t scared: the imposing figure ushering us into his Birmingham city flat quickly turns out to be one of the most laid-back and cheerful footballers we’ve met. As soon as Wesley Moraes opens his door, he bursts into laughter.
The Brazilian has been like this since the Villans forked out £22 million to sign him from Club Brugge, amid a big summer of transfer to-ing and fro-ing. Twelve new signings arrived at Villa Park following their play-off final victory in May – but none came with expectations quite like Wesley, the sole striker.
He’s only just turned 23, although the Minas Gerais native is used to being relied upon. His soft-spoken nature belies a tough life rivalled by few in football: aged nine, he lost his father to a stroke; by 14 he was a father himself, and within two years another kid was on the way.
Fatherhood meant new responsibilities, and back then football was a distant dream. With too much on his plate, he worked in a screw factory to help provide for his children.
Wesley’s upbeat mood reflects that of a man who has made it after overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles. It has been a while since he left the production line, but he hasn’t forgotten those days: in his wallet he carries his Work Card, a document owned by Brazilian workers from the age of 16. “It helps to remind me how tough my life was back then,” he says, reflecting on an astonishing life story which has now brought him to his dream destination.
“When I first moved to this flat, I spent a lot of time looking at Villa Park,” smiles Wesley, pointing to the telescope in his living room. “I imagined how good the atmosphere would be with that stadium packed. And when I first played at Villa Park – wow! The fans don’t stop singing for 95 minutes. It’s amazing.”
Poverty, imprisoned family members and a right leg 3cm shorter than his left haven’t stopped him. Neither have unsuccessful trials in Brazil, France and Spain at Atletico Madrid. Finally, via snowy Slovakia and sleepy Bruges, Wesley is right where he wants to be – and is only too happy to tell FFT about a remarkable life now spent wowing Prince William…
What have been your Villa highlights so far? My first goal, without a doubt. It was a really beautiful one against Everton, and I was so happy to score a Premier League goal. I did about four different goal celebrations. I had dinner at an Italian restaurant after the game with my girlfriend and agent, who had to pay out a bet he lost. [Laughs] I told him I’d score and it happened exactly how I predicted: I ran behind Everton’s defence and Jota set me up. It got me a free dinner!
Was playing in the Premier League always a dream of yours?
Yes – until I was nine I watched it with my dad, but then he died and I kept watching with my brothers. I followed Didier Drogba and had it in mind that I wanted to play in the country where he was. John Terry [Dean Smith’s No.2] even shows me some of Drogba’s videos and says our playing styles are similar. My goal is to repeat what he did, or maybe do even more.
What has it been like working with Terry? When I first joined Villa, he said if I could do at least half of what Drogba and Diego Costa have achieved in the Premier League, I would already be an awesome player. I was happy with that. Sometimes I’ll ask him questions – he was the best Premier League centre-back ever, so I’ve got a lot to learn from him and how most defenders play. My first goal was thanks to John, because he had told me that Everton’s defence was a bit slow and I could take advantage when Jota was on the ball.
How much did you know about Villa before you joined the club?
I knew a bit about the club’s tradition in the game, not only in England but also in Europe as European Cup winners. I’m so happy to be here, and my biggest goal is to play as well as possible to help the club play in Europe again.
How have you found life in Birmingham? My girlfriend stayed with me for the first four months, which was an incredible help. On the pitch I knew I’d need a little time to settle in because it’s a completely new place, but my main goal is to make Villa supporters happy. I like Birmingham a lot. There’s lots to do here – good restaurants, including Brazilian ones, and a Brazilian market, too. That’s good news, because I know I won’t struggle with hunger. [Laughs] I don’t have a clue about cooking, not even a fried egg. My girlfriend helps me with that, but we enjoy going out for meals.
How is your English coming along? Can you understand manager Dean Smith yet?
I took classes for two years in Belgium. Here in England, I take classes once a week because of the visa exam, so I can’t fail! I understand everything, from the manager’s instructions through to the coaches and my team-mates. I have a very good relationship with the boss – he understands the players’ minds really well, which sometimes isn’t the case. He talks a lot with each of us, which is nice.
Do you have any personal goals in your first Premier League season?
My main goal is to help Aston Villa remain in the Premier League. They just got promoted, so it’s vital to keep ourselves in the top flight. If I could score 10, 15 or 20 goals it would be even better, but I don’t really set a goal target for myself. I see it as a result of the effort I’m putting in on the pitch.
You live near a canal – is it just like being back in Bruges?!
It’s completely different! There are so many things to do in Birmingham, but Bruges isn’t like that – it’s smaller. As it’s a historical city, there was the centre and that’s it.
Have you visited The Bullring? You must get recognised when you’re out...
Yes, a few times. [Laughs] To do some clothes shopping and to eat as well. The fans are very polite and ask for pictures, but it’s not as mad as Brazil with football stars. I arrived in the city as Villa’s record signing so everyone knew me already, but after scoring a few goals for them the demand for pictures has increased!
So… have you watched Peaky Blinders yet? To be honest, I don’t know anything about it! I only was aware of that because the club’s Instagram published a picture of me, Jack Grealish and John Mcginn as Peaky Blinders. Now I’ll have to see it. My agent suggested I buy that cap, but I’ll look too old wearing it...
What’s it like playing for a team supported by Prince William? Have you met him?
I didn’t know about that at first! I knew only after the Norwich game. It’s so cool to watch a prince celebrating my goals enthusiastically, but I haven’t met him yet. When I first saw it, I thought, ‘You’re joking...’. I never thought I’d make a prince happy with my goals, so I was absolutely delighted with that. I’m not sure if my family back in Brazil saw it, but I’ll have to show my children when they’re more aware of things: ‘Look, your dad scored and the Prince was jubilant!’ I hope he keeps going to games and I can carry on putting a smile on his face.
Talk us through your football career so far – it’s quite a story...
I started to play futsal at the age of six in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais. I played there until I was 14, and then I started working after becoming a dad. I had no other option. Back then I was working, playing football and studying as well. Sometimes I missed some training sessions as I had to work. At 16, one of my agents got me a trial at Itabuna, in Bahia. I spent three months there to become a professional player, then six months at Atletico Madrid, which was followed by one and a half years in Slovakia. Then Club Brugge signed me. I was there for three and a half years, and now I’m at Villa.
How come it didn’t work out for you with a Brazilian club back home?
I had trials with Atletico-mg, Cruzeiro, Gremio and Resende, and was rejected by all of them. But becoming a footballer was always my big dream, so I didn’t give up. I was confident that I’d be able to make it one day.
How did being a young dad change your life? When I was 14 and the girl told me she was pregnant, it was a shock. I had to be mature very early in life, but I couldn’t stop dreaming about being a footballer, because that was the way I wanted to give them a better life.
What was your childhood like?
My family struggled a lot for money. My dad was retired and my mum was a cleaner. We lived in a one-bedroom flat and had to sleep in the same room, huddled up – my parents, my two brothers and two sisters, and also my nephews. Seven people in total, it was mad. Looking back, I’m so happy that I achieved what I wanted to – it’s difficult to explain the feeling. My family is proud of me. As soon as I signed my contract with Trencin in Slovakia, I told my mum that there wouldn’t be any more struggles for our family – everything I earned I sent to her in Brazil. Food was expensive for us: most of the time there wasn’t any meat in our meals, so we just had to eat whatever we had – rice and beans was our most common meal
– and then go to bed.
What was your biggest challenge to becoming a footballer? Sometimes, I really had no money to take a bus to training. I didn’t have bags to carry my clothes to attend the trials I mentioned, so I had to borrow everything from my friends. It was pretty tough, but I thank God for where I am now. I’m already a winner in life and give everything I can to my family, because I know how hard our past was.
Could things have gone another way down a bad path?
My thought was that there was no reason to do that if I was already struggling in life. If something bad happened to me and I ended up in jail, life would be even worse. Some of my friends were involved with drugs – I lost a friend because he went that way – but my mum was always next to me, advising me to focus on football. I used to see my family struggling but as I was pretty young, I couldn’t do much to help out. It’s so easy to make bad choices under these circumstances, but that wasn’t what I wanted for me and my family.
How hard was it to lose your dad?
I was nine and my siblings were all teenagers. My mum was key in that moment, because I was extremely attached to my dad – I used to go with him wherever he went. But at that time my whole family got closer to each other.
He played football – did he teach you much? He played well, but he wasn’t a professional. All my family say that he was a great player,
and my futsal coach said if I played one-third as well as my dad, I’d become a professional footballer. He was a classic No.10 in his day.
So you started as an offensive midfielder? Yes. After hearing all of the stories about my dad, mainly what my brothers told me, he was definitely my inspiration. Imagine me, this big, as a No.10?! I played in midfield until I was 15. I used to score a lot of goals, but it’s better to play upfront. A midfielder has to run too much!
How did you find working in a screw factory when you were younger?
I was in the manufacturing team and each of us had a role – weighing, packing, everything. At the beginning I thought that my football dream was over, so I worked, went to school and played football every day. It was tough. My mum helped me with pursuing my dream, but school was mandatory. She never forced me to work at a young age, but I didn’t have much of a choice once I’d become a father. Usually, I’d be quite frustrated at the factory, but I had to provide for my kids and help my mum. Many players haven’t done what I did: waking up really early, working in a factory, weighing and packing screws for minimum wage [about £130 per month at today’s rate]. I’d work in the morning, train in the afternoon and go to school at night. Usually, I was back home around midnight. It was f**king difficult.
Your body is covered with tattoos – do you have any special ones for your family?
I have my dad’s name tattooed on my neck, and this is my most special one. I’ve also got my son’s name on my shin, my mum’s name on my arm and my daughter’s on my arm as well. I have my nephew’s name too – he died because of drugs five years ago. The tattoo for him reads: ‘Gustavo – to dream, never to give up. To have faith because it is not easy and it won’t be’. It was heartbreaking for me – I was at Trencin in Slovakia and so I wasn’t able to attend his funeral.
How many people in your family depend on you at the moment?
My whole family – nine people in total. Another nephew is now in jail for drug dealing and he’s always in trouble, so I pay everything for him. He has a son and I’m his godfather, so I’m also responsible for him. Family, mate. I’m the only guy with any money, so I help everyone. In the past it was really hard, but if I can help them now, then why not?
How do you cope with your kids in Brazil? I’m always in touch with them. Maria Eduarda is six and my son is called Ian Riquelme – he’s seven. We’re together when I’m back in Brazil. They know that me being here will help their future, because I can give them a better life.
You went to Atletico Madrid on a six-month trial early on – how did that happen?
My agent knew someone at the club. It wasn’t exactly a trial, but they wanted to analyse me for a longer period, and after two weeks they integrated me into the Under-19 squad. Once, we trained with the first team – I couldn’t stop staring at Diego Simeone. I used to see him on TV shouting a lot, and then he was just by my side! He’s the same in training sessions – he can’t stand still. Jokes apart, it was a great moment in my career because it was my first taste of European football. I thought I would stay there for longer and it would be my first step to finally leaving poverty behind. As I was underage, I had a limited time to be in Spain. When I went back to Brazil my agent told me I was going to play professionally in Slovakia.
What was Slovakia like?
I’d never seen snow before going there, and I went in December. I still didn’t have proper clothes! As I was freezing, the first thing we did when I got there was buy a massive coat. I had to play in the snow, which was a good experience, but I couldn’t feel my toes. I got used to it, but sometimes it was around -10C.
Then you got your big move to Club Brugge in 2016. What were the highlights there? When my mum went to see me play live for the first time and I scored! I think it was the derby against Gent. We won 2-1 and I scored. She cried, and after the match we celebrated with a dinner. She said, “It was so emotional to watch you. Thank you so much for bringing me here.” I told her it was just the beginning.
You also picked up a few red cards – did you have to calm down a little?
I got three. I was very young and didn’t have the mentality I have nowadays. Sometimes the defenders were tough on me, so I opened my arms to protect the ball and my elbow hit their face. After my first red card, the analysis at the club was that I was young and would learn from that. After the second, the coach called me for a chat. Then came the third and I got a final warning. They even sent me to see a psychologist thinking I was short-tempered – they urged me to wear tape on my hand so
I’d see it when I was about to raise my arms. I played one game like that and it didn’t make much difference, but I calmed down and now I know how to behave in situations like those.
How did you feel when you heard Villa were interested in signing you?
I was on holiday in Brazil having a barbecue at home with my family and my agent called me. He said, “Aston Villa want you.” My first reply was, “I want to go, it’s my dream to play in the Premier League.” And I already knew that John Terry was the assistant. I was surrounded by family that day and told them straight away. My mum’s reaction was, “Let’s go, my son!”
And what about when you received a first Brazil call-up in November?
I was at home with my girlfriend, and [Villa midfielder] Douglas called me saying people from the Brazilian FA had been asking for my number. Then, the national team’s supervisor messaged me saying that Tite was going to call me up because David Neres was injured. He asked if my passport was up to date, and after half an hour they confirmed it and sent me flight information! I was over the moon and burst into tears. This was my childhood dream. The first thing I did was call my mum.
How did she react?
She also burst into tears and started shaking. She was so emotional that my siblings had to calm her down back home. Then, when it was public, I called her again and she was calmer.
How was your experience with the Selecao? Sensational! I played alongside team-mates at the highest level, like Casemiro, a three-time Champions League winner. It was a fantastic opportunity to be with them and learn from them. The environment is so good, extremely friendly and all the players help each other.
You came on against Argentina and faced Lionel Messi – what was that like?
When I first saw Messi, I thought I was inside my video game. [Laughs] F**k. Then, when I came off the bench, there was a corner and I realised he was stood next to me in the box. I froze and thought, ‘Is it really true?’ It’s hard to believe it! I was seeing him on my debut in one of football’s greatest derbies. My objective is to keep getting called up and score a goal.
What did you do with your shirt?
I kept it with me and got autographs from all my team-mates. I’ll frame it and send it back to Brazil for my mum.
Why is your right leg shorter than the left?! It’s from birth! Villa’s doctor told me that my left shin grew longer than the other. If I can still score goals like that, how good would I be if my legs were both the same length? I don’t feel anything and I’ve never had any issues, but people tell me I limp when I walk. I don’t mind it – my movement has been compared to Garrincha. Mate, Garrincha! But Garrincha is Garrincha and Wesley is Wesley. He wrote his beautiful story; I’m only starting to build mine.
“MANY PLAYERS HAVEN’T DONE WHAT I DID – WAKING UP EARLY, WORKING In A FACTORY AND PACKING SCREWS FOR MINIMUM WAGE”