“I’VE PROVED THAT I CAN STILL HANDLE THIS LEAGUE”
WILLIAN FULHAM
After spells with Chelsea and Arsenal, you returned to England with Fulham aged 34. How did the move come about?
When I quit Corinthians in August, I had no idea where I’d head next – I didn’t have any concrete offer. I just left and returned to London, hoping that something would come up eventually. It was then that I found out Marco Silva had been speaking to my agent. I’d been back in town for only a couple of days when I talked to Marco. It was a great conversation, and he asked if we could meet up the following day. He explained how the team played, the goals for the season, and what he wanted from me. It felt like two things had come together, you know? I love London, my family loves London and we’d be able to live here again, and I’d also return to the Premier League. I had received offers from abroad and also had approaches from other English clubs, but I really enjoyed my chat with Marco and felt a lot of confidence from him. I’m happy that my decision paid off and that we’ve done very well this season.
What was so special about that chat?
It wasn’t a specific thing he said, but I left the meeting impressed by his character. He has that human touch that’s key in football these days. He’s a great manager with the potential to become one of the world’s best.
Honestly, what did you think of Fulham?
Honestly? I was like, ‘Damn, should I sign for them?!’ In all of my seasons playing in the Premier League, I’d seen them going up and down, up and down, so I remember thinking, ‘Going there to fight against relegation will be tough’. [Laughs] But then I watched their matches and I saw a very organised team; a really good side. I talked to Andreas Pereira and he spoke incredibly highly of Marco. Until then, I’d only played for the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal, but I believe it’s been a good choice. Since day one, I’ve felt fantastic at Fulham and I can only thank the club staff for the way they’ve treated me.
When you left Arsenal to join Corinthians in 2021, did you plan to spend the last years of your career in Brazil?
I’d never really planned to return to Brazil – in interviews, I’d actually always stressed
that I didn’t want to go back and preferred to stay in Europe. But then the Corinthians situation came from nowhere and escalated so quickly that it made me reconsider – it’s the club where I grew up. But, to me, it was not like I was heading there to finish. Things didn’t work out as expected, but it was never meant to be the final chapter for me.
When you joined Fulham, were you afraid of failing to adapt to the Premier League intensity again, after nearly a year away?
No. Because of all my years here, I knew it would be easier for me. I already knew the league, the obstacles and how to overcome them. But perhaps other people had doubts about how I’d do on my return. They may have thought, ‘He’s coming back from Brazil – will he be able to handle the intensity?’ Fortunately I’ve proved to myself that I can still handle it, and I’ve bounced back after
“I’D SEEN FULHAM GOING UP AND DOWN, SO I WAS LIKE, ‘DAMN... SHOULD
I BE SIGNING FOR THEM?’”
a tough time in Brazil. I believe I’ve been the same Willian that everybody has always known, so while it has been challenging, I feel proud of what I’ve done this season.
Why have you done so well?
As clichéd as it may sound, the truth is that football is all about confidence. Confidence is everything, and I could feel Marco Silva trusted me. When you have your coach and those around you backing you, that’s when you can play your best football. It works like that with everyone, in every line of work, but in football it’s especially important. When you play without confidence, you can’t perform.
Any personal highlights this season?
Undoubtedly the match against Chelsea, my former side, for whom I have great respect and affection, where I spent so many years and won important trophies. When I faced them, I could feel how much the fans still respect me. That’s why I didn’t celebrate my goal against them in January. A month later, we played at Stamford Bridge and I really didn’t expect to be treated the way I was. Before a big game like that, you’re always nervous. Lots of things go through your head. Will they boo me? But, no, I’ll never forget how they received me. When my name was announced, all of the fans applauded, then when I was substituted, they sang my song. That was something I can’t even put into words. I’ll forever remember that moment.
Has any player at Fulham particularly impressed you?
We have a lot of great footballers, but I’d say Aleksandar Mitrovic has drawn my attention for the way he works: he’s very professional, strong, and you’ll find him in the gym every single day. Like the others, he’s always trying to improve, and that’s nice to see.
How has it been for you back in London, after you had difficulties with Corinthians fans during your spell back in Brazil?
It’s been very cool, especially for my family, to have a feeling of freedom back – to be able to walk in the streets, stop at a café and not have to worry about anything, just like it was when we lived here before. It’s priceless.
You previously spoke about your plans to become a football agent in the future. How’s that going?
Yeah, I’m already preparing for that. I want to play for four or five more years and we know that time flies, so I think the best way is to start planning ahead. It won’t be that I’ll quit and then figure out what to do next; instead it’ll be a matter of putting what I’ve been studying in motion. I speak with a lot of people about it and, whenever I have the chance, I even try to watch youth matches at our training ground to analyse things and learn what to look out for. We never know what the future holds for us, but my idea is to continue living in London after I’ve finally hung up my boots.