THE Hugo Souza, was born and raised in Portugal. From a young age, at the age of just fourteen, he took life into his own hands.
The financial problems faced by his family led him to her academy Porto. Hard for a child at that age to live away from his parents, but this decision was the passport to the development of his career and personality.
The Portuguese defender spoke about his team for the first time Mars. With joy and emotion at the same time, he described the powerful moments he has experienced with the Thessaloniki team “I’ve been through a lot of great things with Aris, our connection has been incredible.”
The Ionian captain, who rarely speaks, opened his heart and shared experiences and feelings from his journey, while he did not rule out the possibility of staying permanently in Greece.
The interview with Marianna Karadima in detail
You are in the Ionian team since 2022. Last year the team was relegated. Would you like to share with us how you experienced this situation?
Last year it was my pleasure to be back in Greece since I left in 2020. I found a coach I had worked with before. Dimitris Spanos. He was my coach for a year in Mars. I also found a very good team, like a family, where everyone lives football with passion. It was a beautiful experience. In our last game against Lamia we played like it was a final. We knew that if we won we would stay in Super League 1. In the first half the score was 2-0 in our favor. There was a crazy atmosphere in the stadium and our fans had amazing energy. We knew it was a very important match for the team and for us as players. Athletes like Romeo, Kanias, Sakic, myself and others, who play at a high level, we want to play also for our career and our name. THE Ionic it has all the conditions to be in the first category. So, in that game we were playing for our lives. It was really difficult when we drew (2-2). Lamia stayed in the first division and we fell to the second. It was difficult. I still think about it today. We were so united all the players and we did some nice things, but unfortunately football is like that. I had a rough summer because of it. I had a lot of suggestions and I thank them all, because I had a very good season on an individual level, but I couldn’t think clearly and a lot was going through my mind.
What are your personal goals this year to help your team?
When I finally decided to continue with the team again this year, I thought that I really want to help the club, to thank the fans, because as I told you before, everyone here is a family. The president himself treats us like family. I have enormous respect for everyone. They love me a lot and it’s important for a player to feel at home. I’m not from Greece, but I really feel like I’m at home here. And when I was in the Aris team I had the same feeling, but also here in Ionian they treat me great and I feel very good.
So I came again and I want to contribute to my team and rejoin the Super League 1. In every match, in every training session, we have to show respect for this team, because we play for a big club in Greece. So it is our duty to elevate him to the position he deserves.
Tell me a little about the fans of our country…
The people of Greece are very supportive. I can say wonderful things about them. They have shown me a lot of love. They like the way I play, my style and appreciate the effort I put in on the pitch. Of course it is important to me and I appreciate them.
How does it feel to be part of the Ionian?
As I said, I feel very good in his family Ionian. They appointed me as captain this year and they once again showed me their respect and trust and I will try every day to repay them.
Would you like to tell us about your tenure at Mars? Were you on the team from 2017 and stayed until 2020?
It’s the first time I’m talking about him Mars After so many years. It is a very special club for me. Ares, Thessaloniki…. they mean so many things. I’ll give you examples. The most important teams of my career are first the Porto which is the biggest club in Portugal. I played for ten years there. They gave me everything I have today, not only as a player but also as a person. I was living alone because my family left Portugal due to financial problems. I lived in the academy from the age of fourteen, I trained there, I went to school there, I slept there. There were coaches and psychologists. I did many different things to develop myself and it was a great experience for me. Porto invested a lot in me.
The second most important group is the Mars. I’ll explain why right away. When I first became part of the team, it was in Superleague 2 and going through a difficult period with many problems. I came from a group located in Super League 1 of Belgium. I was playing for Sporting and he sold me to the Belgian team. I played a fantastic year there. The second year I injured my leg and had to have surgery. The operation did not go well, due to a medical error, and after four months I had to have a second operation. Imagine I was injured for 7 to 8 months. Very difficult situation for a football player. Think I was very young, I had a very good contract and the level of the team was high.
After a year I had several offers from high-level teams, who were interested in buying me. But in the second year, due to a doctor’s mistake, my whole life changed. I mention this to let you know that I came from Belgium and Super League 1 to Mars which was one level down and for me personally it was something difficult. But from the first moment in the Aris team I felt very familiar. I immediately connected with the people of the club, the president Theodoros Karipides. And the president himself was going through a difficult time, he was fighting a lot for the team, to raise it to the level it was before. So I felt very connected to everyone, because we were both going through difficulties and the ‘click’ was immediate.
In Aris I went through difficult times and then the best. We’re back in Super League 1, we’re in the Cup semi-finals, we’re back in the Europa League and we all went through this evolution together with our world. It was an incredible feeling. I stayed in the team for four seasons and felt really good. Everyone showed me respect and I was a leader as well. Even on my holidays, where I had visited some Greek islands, people recognized me and showed me their love. Everyone made me feel like family. And in Thessaloniki, people love football and even the fans of other teams showed me their respect. I am very proud of Aris and I have him in my heart. It’s a great club and I still cherish all the moments and experiences we’ve had together.
It’s the first time I’m talking about Aris and all that I’ve experienced with this team. I remember in the last game I played, which was in Toumba against PAOK, I was injured and because there were not many options due to the problems caused by covid, the president and the coach asked me to help the team. That day, Cuesta and I were the MVP of the race. We finished the season on a very good level. It’s true that there was a desire from both sides for me to stay in the team, but for some reasons it didn’t happen. However, we have a great relationship with everyone and there is a lot of respect.
I also want to share one more personal story of my time on Mars. My best friend, Mr Sergio Oliveira, came to play for PAOK. Sergio and I have been friends since we were ten years old and we played together in Porto. We are like brothers. So it was kind of fun that my bestie came to the same city as me and we played at the same level. Also, the following year, the coach I had at Sporting came to PAOK, Abel Ferreira, whom I respect immensely. Those two combined were incredible coincidences (laughs)
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You have been playing football in Greece for several years. What is your opinion on the quality of Greek football?
First of all I will say that in Greece there is great enthusiasm for football and the atmosphere that is created is amazing. I like to see the stadiums full and of course it is important that there is respect for everyone and that extreme and unpleasant events do not happen. I think there is enough quality here with very good players. Clearly some things need to be improved, but the level is high.
Does the lifestyle of Greece suit you? Do you see yourself living here in the future?
Yes, I really like it here. People are friendly, they like to communicate and there are several similarities with life in Portugal. Many people from the field of football who are from my country and have come to Greece, such as Bruno Gama, Bruno Alves, Fernando Santos and others, have loved it. Our culture is very similar. I believe that the Greeks also love Portugal and the Portuguese love Greece. I may be far from my country, but here I feel at home. Of course in football you never know tomorrow and changes are frequent and it’s hard to have a plan but it’s something I think about often.
What do you like best here?
First of all I like my job and the passion of the people. Secondly, I really like the quality of life I have in Greece. I like to go for coffee, the freddo espresso (laughs), the food. The wonderful weather. Also in the summer I like to visit the Greek islands. Here you can combine your work and your personal life very well.
In a few days we have Christmas. What do you wish for the new year both collectively and personally?
The Christmas I’m going to Portugal to see my family. I want to rest to get back in good shape. I wish we all had health, to have a good time and be happy. I personally wish that we will do well with my team and get better results. I am very positive about tomorrow, every day we can get better.
Source: Sport Fm
I am currently a news writer for News Bulletin247 where I mostly cover sports news. I have always been interested in writing and it is something I am very passionate about. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and spending time with my family and friends.
