With a story that began in the youth divisions of Santos Futebol Clube, Douglas Cardozo, known for scoring the club’s thousandth goal in the Brazilian Championship, built his professional career in Thailand. It was in this Asian country that he also trained his two heirs in the sport.
The Cardozo family, in fact, breathes football. His youngest daughter, Yasmin Cardozo, plays for Flamengo and has represented Portugal’s women’s youth teams. His older brother, Maycon Cardozo, is part of the squad at Bayern Munich, in Germany, and still needs to decide which nation he will represent on the international stage.
In an exclusive chat with the ESPN.com.br portal, Maycon, who has dual citizenship — Brazilian and Portuguese, like his sister —, detailed the challenges and opportunities that will shape his future in his international career. The main question is whether they will defend the colors of Brazil or Portugal.
“Since childhood, I have followed football played in Brazil and the Brazilian team. I have always had the desire to wear the shirt of my home country and I have immense appreciation,” said the player. “However, I have considerable respect for Portugal, a team that has grown a lot and is also watching me closely,” he added.
“I’m available for both teams, I feel prepared, but my current priority is to deliver my maximum performance at Bayern Munich and be ready, as I’m sure I’ll be called up at the right time”, concluded Maycon.
Both football’s highest entities, the Brazilian Football Confederation and the Portuguese Football Federation, have closely monitored Maycon Cardozo’s development. The young athlete, however, demonstrates serenity in his choice, without apparent haste, and seeks advice from his family to reach the final decision.
“Of course, [my family and I] always talk about the quality of both teams, about my desire for the [Brazilian] team, but also about the interest of both parties. The way forward is to have faith, to work hard, that the right moment will come,” said the player.
“My father is a great partner and a true coach at home. He constantly guides me, both in my personal life and in my career, sharing his experience as a former Santos player. When it comes to football, he gets things right in an inexplicable way, so I always pay attention to his advice”, revealed Maycon.
New FIFA rules impact the decision of athletes with dual nationality
The changes promoted by FIFA in 2020 significantly altered the eligibility of players with dual nationality. Previously, one minute on the field for a team was enough to prevent any change. With the update, an athlete can play up to three official games for the first national team, as long as their last appearance occurs before turning 21, granting greater scope for future choices.
In the context of the Brazilian team, Maycon sees Neymar, perhaps the biggest icon for the country’s new talents, as a great inspiration. Within the four lines, however, he has honed his multifunctional skills under the tutelage of Vincent Kompany, his coach at Bayern Munich.
“I’ve always admired Neymar as my idol on the pitch. His style of play, of dribbling, of advancing with boldness and creativity, is exactly what I’m looking for. Since I was a child, I’ve always watched him, and that’s why he’s my favorite player”, declared the young man.
“Kompany used me in different positions in training, demonstrating knowledge about the appropriate roles for each one. As a left winger, he encourages the audacity and joy of the game that I apply in training. However, when I play as a midfielder, right winger or right-back, the demands change, and he guides me on when to attack or defend with focus. He is an excellent coach and helped me a lot in this process”, concluded the athlete.
Challenges and rise of Maycon Cardozo at Bayern Munich
Maycon Cardozo was discovered by Bayern Munich through a partner academy in Thailand. The Brazilian player vividly remembers the period in which he participated in a test with ten thousand competitors and the lonely nights of crying, away from his family.
“At the age of ten, I was part of my father’s team, who worked as a coach and had already played football in Thailand. At that time, the chance arose to try out at the STB Academy, which maintained a partnership with Bayern. We considered it an excellent opportunity. Ten thousand people participated in the tryout. I always believed that, given the opportunity, one day I would play for Bayern; this conviction was always present in my mind”, narrated the athlete.
“My family lived approximately two hours from Bangkok, the location of the STB Academy. At the age of ten, I left my home to live in accommodation. Adapting was difficult; practically every night I cried when talking to my father on the phone. However, it was the dream of reaching Bayern and playing in Europe that drove me. I understood that it was a necessary sacrifice to reach such a high level in football”, concluded Maycon.