After the match with Cruzeiro, which despite the one-goal draw confirmed Palmeiras as two-time Brazilian champions, Portuguese coach Abel Ferreira made a speech to the players in the locker room, where he left great praise for the athletes and made a point of saying, at a time when there is talk of his possible departure to a club in Qatar, which does not want to say goodbye to anyone.
Read Abel Ferreira’s full speech here:
“The greatest responsibility I have… You gave your soul to the coaching staff. It’s absurd what you do for us. It’s absurd what you did. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would form a group work with much more than just football, much more!
I don’t know what legacy we’re going to leave, because I think we’ll know in about fifteen years. Not now. But I have told you several times: you were born to make history at this club.
And I’m not going to say goodbye to anyone, because I don’t have to say goodbye to anyone. OK?
I am very grateful. God has blessed and guided me to bring me to this side of the Atlantic and put me in the right club, with the right people, at the right time. These are things that fate takes us to, life takes us there.
As (Anderson) Barros said very well: I have only words of thanks for each of you. Those who played more, those who played less, those who always respected the coach’s choices. I’m speaking specifically about you, players, thank you, from the bottom of my heart. It’s an internal thank you.
And I’ll say it again: what we’ve built here, I can’t describe in words what you can’t see… Sit down. I’ve told you this several times.
I said this to our employees. Many times throughout the year you have been absolutely wonderful. A club consists of people. And thanks to the work of everyone here, without exception, we managed to reach the end with merit.
Some will want to devalue it, but for me it’s the same… I’ve always told you: the Brasileirão is a marathon. Winning once is difficult. Winning again is for very, very few people.
And now allow me, I have here a bottle of champagne, I will open it and I will baptize everyone!”
Source: DN
