More than 17 years after she handed over the DVDs that secured her honeymooning son a sudden move to Hong Kong, Helio Goncalves’ mother would like him back in Brazil to work in the family’s boat licensing business.
Released by Kitchee last month after 11 years at the club, centre-back Goncalves is hunting for a new employer. But the 39-year-old, who spent his opening six years in Hong Kong with Citizen, is planning to keep mum waiting.
“Hong Kong is my place, I became a better man here – spiritually,” Goncalves said. “I raised my family here.
“Also, I believe in God and, in this period, I have become more attached.”
Goncalves lent on that faith last year when the youngest of his three children, five-year-old Aron, became gravely ill after contracting Guillain-Barre Syndrome while on holiday in Orlando.
“It was very severe,” Goncalves said. “First, the movement in his legs stopped, then it moved higher. Everything stopped working. He couldn’t move his eyes; even his lungs were affected. He was in a lot of danger.”
Goncalves learned of his son’s condition while in Thailand for pre-season. “When I heard … that’s why I trust God, if I didn’t, my mind would have exploded,” he said.
“We stayed in the States for one month; he was in intensive care for so long. He had his birthday in hospital. When we came back, he had to be hospitalised again. It was the most difficult time of my life.”
Goncalves, whose son made a full recovery, is grateful to Kitchee president Ken Ng Kin for his support during the ordeal and has only positive words for the club where he won six league titles.
“I left on good terms. I can’t complain about anything,” he said. “I’ve been through some tough moments and the people always helped me.”
Days before his 14th birthday, the “thrilled but scared” Goncalves left the family home in Ribeirao Preto to join mighty Santos.
“It was terrifying in the beginning, I was homesick,” Goncalves said. “Many times, I wanted to give up.”
“I am very family-oriented; every time we said goodbye it was horrible for me and them,” he said.
One of Goncalves’s two younger brothers, Geraldo, would eventually join him at Santos before an astigmatism forced him to quit. Today, he is a leading orthopaedic surgeon.
Goncalves ploughed on. “I’m not high-quality or skilful, but I’m hard working and kept improving,” he said. “Santos had new players for trials every week. It was crazy, not good mentally for teenagers. But I liked the feeling of competition.”
A teammate of future Brazil players Robinho and Diego, Goncalves left for Ceara towards the end of his contract in 2006. That move was short-lived, after Santos withheld paperwork, and Goncalves eventually joined third-tier Olimpia.
“At Santos, my ambition was to play for the first team, then go to Europe,” Goncalves said. “After I left, I knew I might drop a bit. But I’m very happy; I believe Hong Kong was my path.”
Back in late 2007, his mum, Ieda, sent DVD highlights packages to a contact. They were forwarded to multiple clubs and, while he was in Argentina on honeymoon, Goncalves received the news he was Citizen-bound. After two days back in Brazil, he said goodbye to his new bride, Tayana, while the move meant sacrificing the physiotherapy degree he had pursued for two years.
“My wife came after one month; she gave up her life and job to follow me,” Goncalves said. “It took me time to understand what she did … now, I really appreciate everything she’s done for me. The support of your parents, wife and kids is so important.”
A long-time Kitchee captain, Goncalves has begun studying for a coaching licence and would like to manage in the future.
He is talking to clubs about playing for one more season; however, and wants to add to his 38 Hong Kong caps.
“I was one of the players with the lowest fat percentage at Kitchee,” Goncalves said. “I’m not as fast and strong as I used to be, but I have football sense.”
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