‘Football here is like religion’ – Inside Jamal Lewis’ amazing life in Brazil after ‘whirlwind’ transfer from Newcastle
JAMAL LEWIS is commuting 6,000 miles between Belfast and Brazil with an amazing new life at Sao Paulo.
The Northern Ireland defender — on loan there from Newcastle — jets in from the other side of the world for internationals.
Left-back Lewis, 26, becomes the first Brit to play for the Brazilian giants and hopes the Samba-style football can help his countrymen.
Ahead of facing Belarus on Saturday, he joked: “I guess I’m going to have to give man-of-the-match performances every week now.
“There is such a rich culture of football out there, it’s amazing. I hope it will go on into the long-term future.
“And I am very proud to be a Northern Irishman playing in Brazil.
“The hotter climate makes for a different intensity in the football and, at times, I feel far away.
“But there is a rich culture of football and some hugely-talented players who have played in the Premier League before.
There is such a rich culture of football out there, it’s amazing. I hope it will go on into the long-term future.”
Jamal Lewis
“It’s a massive challenge for me — and one that I am embracing with both hands.”
Northern Ireland held Belarus to a 0-0 draw on Saturday in their C3 Nations League clash.
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Manager Michael O’Neill’s side next host Bulgaria at Windsor Park on Tuesday night.
Former Norwich defender Lewis confessed: “Belfast will feel a lot colder than Brazil but I love Windsor Park.
“The atmosphere created by a relatively small crowd when it’s full is so close to my heart.
“I came into the senior squad just after the great run at Euro 2016 and there’s another major tournament in this squad for sure. We just need to gel.”
Lewis may well have also ruined one of Northern Ireland’s most famous football anthems — but it is all the same to him.
Every international is accompanied by the Green and White Army’s lusty rendition of We’re Not Brazil, We’re Northern Ireland.
But in the defender’s case, he is both.
Opportunity of a lifetime
The chance to make history as the first Brit to play for Sao Paulo, one of Brazil’s most successful teams, and make a fresh start was too good to turn down.
Lewis said: “I knew my time at Newcastle would be limited so I was looking for an option — loan or permanent.
“Once my agent told me, it sparked my interest and it is definitely something different. It’s a chance I wanted to seize with both hands and see where it takes me.
I am proud to be an Irishman and play in Brazil. It’s not something many people have done. I am the first Brit to play for Sao Paulo.”
Jamal Lewis
“It went from zero to a hundred quickly and I flew to Brazil the next day.
“We got all the documents done and it’s been a whirlwind. I’m still in the adjustment phase but I’m really enjoying it — the people, the culture, the club.
“In the same way that the English love their football, and we love the Premier League, the Brazilians are renowned worldwide for their football.
“It’s such a huge thing, it goes hand in hand with religion for the Brazilians. The fans, the clubs, the history that it comes with is amazing.
“You can see it with Sao Paulo — the history of the place. The championships they have won and the pride of the people that support the club is immense.
“So, to represent them is amazing and hopefully this is the start of a long journey with them.”
Every home international for Lewis is now a minimum 6,000-mile trek from the country of Neymar and Co to Belfast.
He continued: “Sometimes I feel far away from home, especially when I am messaging and it’s already dark in the UK and I am enjoying the sun.
“The four-hour time difference has an effect. But it comes with the job. It doesn’t feel much further than being in Newcastle, really.
“Football is a learning profession. My wife’s coming over after this international break so we’ll get to experience it together, which will be great.
“I made my full debut in the last match before the international break.
“I am proud to be an Irishman and play in Brazil. It’s not something many people have done. I am the first Brit to play for Sao Paulo.
“I’m proud to represent myself, my family and Northern Ireland in Brazil.
“Challenging myself each and every day to communicate with people is a little bit difficult but I am embracing the new culture, the weather, the people.”
New home
Sao Paulo have never been relegated from Brazil’s top division.
Lewis’ loan is slightly different, given the split season in the country that has blessed the world with so many superstars of the game.
Home games for his new club are at the 72,000-capacity MorumBIS stadium.
One recognisable team-mate is former Tottenham striker Lucas Moura, 32.
And Lewis had a full-on taste of what to expect in last month’s Copa Libertadores — a rough equivalent of our Champions League — as an unused sub against Botafogo in the quarter-finals.
He said: “The stadiums in Brazil are immense. Ours holds 70-plus thousand, it’s just amazing.
“I got to see the best of it against Botafogo. It was a packed house, the fans were amazing and the atmosphere was great. I just hope I get to make some starts before the season finishes.
“It ends in December. So not many games left. There is then a month off before a small pre-season. Then we go into the Paulista Cup where you play more local teams through to March and then in April, the season starts again.
“It’s a one-season loan as far as Newcastle are concerned — but two half-season loans for me. My loan ends in June but there is an option to make it permanent once that finishes.
“Sao Paulo’s densely packed but I live in London back home so it’s nothing I am not used to. It feels like a home away from home but with better weather.
“I am adjusting to the team and they are adjusting to me. We have only played a handful of games.
It’s a big step but one I am really relishing every day.”
Jamal Lewis
“I am getting up to pace with the style of play. It’s a hotter climate so that brings a different kind of intensity of football with it.
“I have taken a big step out of my own environment of being able to communicate easily to now having to immerse myself and learn to get by day to day.
“I have played with many foreign players and now I empathise with the process they go through to integrate into British culture. I am making sure I can do that in Brazilian culture.
“The beauty of me being in Sao Paulo is exposing myself to so many different things, growing as a person, learning as an individual.
“It’s a big step but one I am really relishing every day.”