Interview with Zhejiang Team Foreign Player Lucas: Football is Not a Job, I Enjoy It Every Day

Written by Zuo Rui In a blink, Lucas Posinol's journey in the Chinese Super League has reached its fifth season. The sixth-round 0-0 draw between Zhejiang Greentown and Beijing Guoan was the 101st CSL start for this 31-year-old Brazilian. The feeling that time flies comes because every day of his life with football brings him joy.

The day after the Guoan match, before the team's recovery training began, Lucas appeared relaxed and calm during an interview in the club lounge—over these years in the CSL, he has had extremely low moments, but certainly not now. A 0-0 draw was not the result Zhejiang Team and the fans desired, but Lucas felt it was acceptable: "Better than losing, and it helps us regain confidence." His tone was calm, his gaze firm.

This draw was just one of the 122 matches he has played for Zhejiang. As a key central defender, known for his composure and steadiness on the field, he also shows a fiery passion in the locker room. Before the home match against Guoan, the captain delivered a powerful rally: "The team is currently in a tough situation; we need everyone to give their all and unite! We've suffered two consecutive losses and urgently need a victory to help the team get back on track!"

In the second half, when first captain Cheng Jin came on as a substitute, Lucas gave up the captain's armband. Time ticked away, and the match remained deadlocked. At that moment, as if trailing on the scoreboard, Lucas, whose duty was to protect his team's goal, charged into the opponent's penalty area more than once... Everyone could feel his desire to win and sense of responsibility.

Over the past 122 matches, Lucas has scored 8 goals, spread across league matches, cup games, and the AFC Champions League. More impressive are his averages over the previous four seasons: 5.13 interceptions, 4.88 defensive duels per game, and a 91.2% pass success rate. Moreover, this highly capable, aggressive defender has never received a red card. Lucas attributes this to "the result of hard training."

"By dedicating myself fully to training every day, I can maintain a stronger mindset and a clearer head," he said. Because various scenarios have been encountered in training, no matter what happens during a match, he is always prepared and has a plan. "Under such conditions, it's hard to be overwhelmed by sudden situations on the field and lose your composure, leading to a red card. So I always believe this is inseparable from daily hard training."

So what about Mitritze's red card? Speaking of this topic that remains hot and impactful, Lucas couldn't help but chuckle. Clearly, this peculiar red-card incident couldn't be simulated in training, and it's hard to imagine something similar happening to him. "What was Mitritze feeling at that moment? Probably only he himself knows." Given that the person involved is also a very experienced player, Lucas said, "I never thought he would act that way and get a red card."

Due to his position on the field, Lucas didn't notice his teammate's extreme anger and unusual behavior. In his view, Mitritze is a very easygoing, friendly, optimistic, and cheerful "big-hearted" player. "Whether on the field or in training, he always brings joy to everyone; he's also the one creating atmosphere and playing music in the locker room."

In the next three matches, Mitritze remains suspended. Solving this issue is a priority. "Mitritze is a unique player, very important to us. But we have sufficient personnel reserves; I believe whoever replaces him as starter will give their full determination and ability to help the team win," Lucas said.

When he joined Zhejiang FC in 2022 from Portimonense in the Portuguese league, other foreign players from that period had left one after another, leaving only him still here. "Whether on the field or off, in football or life, I am very happy at this club and in Hangzhou," he said. He believes the club also recognizes his ability; this is a result of mutual trust and mutual contribution.

Among the new foreign players, the Korean Park Jin-seob has clearly adapted better to Hangzhou's environment and the CSL situation. "Without doubt, Park is a very good player, contributing greatly to the defense," Lucas said. Benefiting from defensive system drills and improvements since winter training, and the cooperation between coaching staff and new and old players, he feels the defensive pressure this season has generally reduced.

On the offensive end, both Tolich and Guaripara are new to China and still in their adaptation period. "We should see their fighting spirit and desire to win on the field. Evaluating a player shouldn't just focus on whether they score; often, their sacrifices made to help the team become a better collective are easily overlooked."

As someone who has gone through it, Lucas believes that for new foreign players, as they play more matches, their performance will improve. And each additional appearance brings him more achievement and pride. "This motivates me to persist in hard training every day, execute the coach's tactics in matches, and strive to help the team secure a clean sheet and three points in the next match in Wuhan."

In training and matches, Liu Haofan and Zhang Aihui are the teammates closest to him. "They are both great young players with significant potential," he said. As a foreign player with extensive experience in both the Portuguese league and CSL, his advice to these two Chinese youngsters is: First, definitely show your leadership and dominance on the defensive line; second, maintain sufficient aggressiveness both without and with the ball.

Over five seasons of ups and downs, Lucas has experienced three head coaches: Jordi, Caneda, and Ross Aloysius. He finds Jordi and current coach Ross share some similarities in coaching style, both emphasizing ground passing and possession and high pressing, while the latter's improvements to the defensive system and dedication to work impress him more.

"Relatively speaking, Mr. Caneda employed a more steady approach last season, focusing on transitions," he said. He cannot evaluate each coach's level based on tactical differences, but he finds a common point among the three: "What each of them did while in charge was to try their best to help us become a stronger team."

In his view, to overcome the temporary difficulties, the team needs to carefully analyze the two losses and one draw, improve details, and avoid repeating mistakes; on the other hand, they must more firmly pursue their season goals, striving toward the top four. To maintain such clarity and ambition simultaneously, "every day's training must be harder, and every match must be more engaged."

During over a thousand days in China, Lucas has also had moments of sorrow. One was when he first joined Zhejiang, a knee injury kept him off the field; another was the 2023 January CFA Cup final loss 1-2 to Shandong Taishan, missing the championship trophy by a step. That time, he returned home filled with disappointment, and his wife's comfort helped him through.

In his homeland Brazil, not liking football might be difficult. Lucas loved playing football from childhood, spending every day with the ball. Football talent allowed this rural youth to go to São Paulo's training camp for professional training. At 18, he left Brazil to play in Portugal, spending nine years in Europe.

In the Portuguese league, being able to play in many legendary stadiums and face top clubs was immensely significant to him. "I was very honored to score the winning goal at the Estádio da Luz, helping the team defeat Benfica." In the CSL, what he remembers most is the cultural adaptation process and personal growth, experiencing completely different things both on and off the field.

"For me, football is not a job; it's my greatest interest, bringing me joy every day," he said. Before going to São Paulo, his family lived a very simple life in the countryside, with parents raising poultry and livestock and tending crops. "My parents and sister supported my football from the start, never abandoning me even in the hardest times."

Walking under the shade at Zhongtai Base, watching children running around, Lucas also recalls his own childhood and Brazilian youth training. "In China, children's daily schedules are more structured and orderly, emphasizing learning and following rules. Whether in the countryside or São Paulo, my upbringing was much freer, with more space to develop." Before joining São Paulo's youth system, he played not only 11-a-side but also 5-a-side football, which greatly helped his football growth.

Sergio Ramos is his idol. "I greatly admire his leadership and fighting spirit; even as a defender, he often decides matches in key games." Those who influenced his career most are his family. "Family is my foundation and support, also the biggest motivation in my daily life."

When he first arrived in Hangzhou, his then 4-year-old daughter helped her father choose the number "36" for his jersey. This number has since accompanied Zhejiang Team's most reliable player and his two most devoted fans—his wife and daughter. Now his 8-year-old daughter is in second grade in Hangzhou, and his 4-month-old son has also been brought from Brazil to China.

"We really enjoy the quality of life, city planning, and cultural depth here. Hangzhou is a very quiet, livable city with beautiful natural environment, especially the lakes," he said. Normally he likes spending time with family and watching movies; when alone, he also settles down to read some books and enjoy a coffee moment.

Hangzhou's cuisine holds dual significance for Lucas: one is to change tastes with family and experience local culture; the other is dining out with the whole team to strengthen off-field bonds. "This greatly helps team unity," he said. Through various team-building activities, Zhejiang Team has no disagreements in executing the head coach's tactics and pursuing this season's goals.