They Banned him, Exiled him, Scammed him, Robbed him, and Sued him all because he stood up Football - The Story of Alex De Souza

Kelvin A. Amaniampong Sports Stories 19 June 2024 Hits: 135

Alex was at the peak of his career, one of the brightest talents in Brazilian football, when betrayal and misfortune struck. It all began with a disastrous move to Parma, where he faced an unprecedented legal battle that saw him banned from football. His career seemed over, but Alex had a plan. Pretending to settle for a deal with Parma, he tricked them into signing documents that later became his proof of their wrongdoing. His brilliance in court got him back on the pitch, albeit briefly, before another scandal erupted.

At Cruzeiro, the manager who believed Alex had cost him his job at Palmeiras sought revenge, trying to sabotage him. Despite the manager's efforts, Alex shone, scoring twice in a match against Atletico Mineiro and being named man of the match. However, Parma retaliated by forging his signature on documents, leading to another ban by FIFA. Alex thought his career was over, but a crucial error in the documents revealed he was with the Brazilian national team at the time, far from where Parma claimed he was. FIFA delayed any decisions until after the World Cup, allowing Alex to sign with any team in the interim

Desperate to secure a spot in the World Cup, Alex joined Palmeiras for the third time, despite being booed by fans and playing injured. A month later, he scored one of the greatest goals ever against São Paulo, a feat that seemed to secure his World Cup call-up. But when Scolari announced the squad, Alex's name was missing. Heartbroken, he terminated his contract with Palmeiras and faced another devastating blow—his wife, overwhelmed by the news, lost their baby.

This sent Alex into a deep depression. He began drinking and overeating, unable to face the world or the World Cup celebrations. He was relieved when he had to return to Parma, hoping to escape Brazil. To his surprise, Parma welcomed him back, but his physical state was a mess. After intense training focused solely on weight loss, Alex got fit and performed well in friendlies. Yet, Parma terminated his contract, leaving him in tears.

Returning to Brazil, Alex found few clubs interested in him. São Caetano and Grêmio offered him contracts, but none felt right. At his lowest point, Vanderlei Luxemburgo from Cruzeiro reached out. He admitted that no one at the club wanted Alex, but he believed in him and was willing to stake his reputation on Alex’s success.

With hope rekindled, Alex boarded the plane to Cruzeiro. As he recounted in his autobiography, "My face was swollen from all the time I had spent crying. When Vanderlei saw me, he hugged me and told me, together, we would shut their mouths… He promised us he would help us, that everything would be fine. We believed him."

Conclusion

Thus began one of the greatest comebacks in football history. Alex's journey from betrayal and despair to redemption is a testament to his resilience and the power of belief. Through all the trials, he emerged stronger, proving that even in the darkest moments, hope and determination can lead to extraordinary achievements.

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