Brazilian midfielder Joao Victor, who will play for Hyderabad FC in Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) 2020-21, believes that Indian football is constantly improving and will get better with each passing season. While speaking to The Hindu in an interview, the 31-year-old midfielder mentioned how he hopes to be a part of the progress and help Indian football grow.

“I believe that football in India is going to improve and get bigger and known all around. Personally, I want to be part of this journey and try and make my contribution to the cause,” Victor said. “I’ve played in different countries before, where the teams have had a lot of international players, making it multi-cultural. So, I’m used to this kind of set-up. In fact, I really enjoy it. You can learn a lot about different cultures and make friends in many different places.”

While discussing his acclimatization process at new clubs, Victor said, “I’m not the kind of guy that keeps my best for later, or someone who likes to take it slowly. I adapt very quickly wherever I go, because I enjoy football a lot. I enjoy the ambience of the dressing rooms, the stadiums, and more importantly matches. So, that’s why I’ll always give my maximum in everything.”

Even though the upcoming season of the Hero ISL will take place behind closed doors in Goa, Victor hopes that the beautiful game can bring some joy to fans, he said, “It’s a very tough moment for everybody. But at least we can use our job as footballers to bring some joy to the people. Mentally, it is not going to be easy because everything will be different from what we’re normally used to. We’re going to play without fans behind closed doors.” 

“In this situation, your team becomes your one big family and that’s a special thing about sport. But at the same time, we need to stay concentrated because the league is going to be a short one and those who can manage to have a strong mind will be a step ahead from the others,” the midfielder explained.