Engaged in his second season under the colors of LOSC, Brazilian full-back Ismaily recently said that he was not far from ending his career before joining the northern club. After spending the majority of his career in Ukraine with Shakhtar Donetsk, the 34-year-old player has found a new lease of life within the French club.
Ismaily played 228 matches in all competitions with Shakhtar, which is almost 20,000 minutes of play. An impressive total that he will obviously never reach with LOSC. Yet, the Mastiffs have managed to revive his career, as he thought about quitting football following the war in Ukraine: “I thought I would end my career in Ukraine. When I returned to Brazil after the end of my career in Ukraine, due to the war, I no longer saw myself playing football. I was given a chance to express myself again. It was a very special moment,” he confides.
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Brought in with his former coach Paulo Fonseca, Ismaily did not take long to make a name for himself. From his second match with LOSC, he scored a goal at La Beaujoire against Nantes, then another in Marseille. These achievements were a trigger for the Brazilian: “I will never forget my first goal in Nantes (on August 12, 2022, 1-1), a few days after my arrival. It was a very special moment for me. It rekindled my passion as a football player.”
Ismaily also greatly enjoyed playing the derbies against Lens, which he has never lost. “It’s important for me and the supporters,” he emphasizes. Now, the full-back hopes that the end of the season will be positive for LOSC: “It could be a special moment.”
Ismaily talks about the intensity of Ligue 1
After the trials he went through at Shakhtar Donetsk, the player says he is fulfilled in his new club: “After everything I’ve been through at Shakhtar, everything that’s happening today in Lille is only positive. Whether it’s the city, the club, the supporters, I feel good here.” Experiencing this in a championship as intense as the French Ligue 1 is “very enriching” for him.
Finally, Ismaily talks about his relationship with his coach Paulo Fonseca, with whom he has already worked in the past. “From the outside, one might think that I have special treatment because we’ve been collaborating for five years, but that’s completely false. The coach has such a high level of demand on a daily basis… He doesn’t tolerate half of what we can give. He dedicates himself to the performance of each individual to make the collective very strong,” says the Brazilian, who has played 28 matches this season under the LOSC colors.
Remembering Zagallo
Sambafoot Series launched a new documentary about the football legend Zagallo. Known as ‘Velho Lobo‘ and as superstitious as it gets, Zagallo helped shape what Brazilian football is nowadays — as a player and as a coach.
Binge the first four episodes available on Sambafoot’s Youtube channel. Stay tuned for upcoming releases as we keep telling this legend’s life story.
