Oliveira happy to call the UAE his home

Abu Dhabi: When Ricardo Oliveira first arrived in the UAE he struggled even to breathe, but now the Brazilian striker is happy to call the country his home.

Oliveira was a marquee signing for the Pro League as a whole and Al Jazira in particular when he arrived from Real Betis in the summer of 2009. He had played for some of the world’s top clubs, including Santos in his homeland, AC Milan in Italy and Valencia in Spain, and had also worn the famous yellow shirt of the Brazilian national team.

He had won a Copa America and Confederations Cup with Brazil, the Spanish La Liga title and Uefa Cup with Valencia, and Copa Del Rey with Betis, and at 29 was past it when he first arrived in Abu Dhabi. Yet Oliveira had a tough time getting used to football in the UAE, with injury and the alien conditions making it hard for him to win over sceptics.

“I came here in late July or early August. It was not easy. From the beginning it felt very difficult — I think it was more about the weather and not about the football, for in my opinion football is the same all over the world. You cannot change football, but the weather, this is the most difficult thing if one is to adapt here in the UAE,” he told Gulf News.

“When I came here I felt I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t run and couldn’t play. But the fitness coach said ‘don’t worry, take time. One month, two months and you will feel better’.

“I played for six months with an injury. I tried my best, but there were newspaper reports that questioned Al Jazira for signing me. I went to Brazil, had an operation and when I was in Brazil I had many offers to stay there. But I said I wanted to return to the UAE as Al Jazira had spent a lot of money and I had to prove to them it was money well spent.”

And prove it he did. On his return to the UAE he played a leading role as Al Jazira won their first Pro League title and their first President’s Cup trophy in the 2010/11 season.

He also starred in this campaign as Al Jazira successfully retained the President’s Cup and reached the knockout stages of the AFC Champions League for the first time — with Oliveira’s 12 goals in seven games making him the top scorer in the continental competition.

Success on the pitch has been accompanied by happiness off it, with Oliveira and wife Deborah, son Anthony, eight, daughter Petra, six, now settled in the Emirates.

And with fellow UAE-based Brazilians Bare (Al Jazira), Hugo (Al Wahda), Ciel (Al Shabab) and Magrao (Al Wahda) close by, Oliveira admits to being truly happy in the country.

“When I am free I like to stay at home and play the guitar. Being with my family, that is what I enjoy the most,” the 32-year-old, who has one year left on his Al Jazira contract, said.

“I have a lot of friends here and the simplicity of life here is what makes me really feel at home. This is what football gives you — friends. Football will stop one day, but friendship is for life.

“The life here is very quiet and ideal for a family. It is very, very safe for the family. We appreciate this aspect a lot. I was born in Brazil and I love Brazil, but if I [have to] choose one place I will choose UAE for it is quiet and it is safe. This is surely home for me.”

The standard of football in the Pro League is often criticised as sub-par, but Oliveira insists he has seen significant improvement in the last three years and he hopes to help develop the game further.

“For sure there is a huge improvement as many professionals from outside come to play here. For my experience, I played with the Brazil national team with the best players in the world, I played with AC Milan with the best players, with Valencia with the best, which included many Spanish national team players, and I feel I can help some players with my experience,” he said.

“They listen and they try to follow. Football is about learning every day and they must learn from the professionals — the character, the performance, from inside and outside.

“My dream is to see the UAE national team play in the World Cup [again]. They have now qualified for the London Olympics, but I hope they can play in the World Cup as they did in 1990.”