Joelinton: ‘’When things are going well in your life outside, the work is going better’’
Newcastle United footballer Joelinton has had a turbulent few years in the Premier League. He arrived at the club as a striker in 2019 but was quickly labelled a ‘flop’. Two years later, manager Eddie Howe saw Joelinton’s potential and instead of playing him as a forward, he turned the Brazilian into one of the most dominant midfielders in the league. In an interview with GQ Magazine, Joelinton opened up about being a midfielder and the importance of his family.
Despite not playing as a forward anymore, Joelinton said that the way he trains and stays fit hasn’t really changed. ‘’For me it’s kind of the same. I always train hard because it’s the best way to get ready for the game. It’s [a case of] train like you play, and try to do it every day. Of course some things change – the way I run, where I go to attack on the pitch. So I have to run back more. But nothing has changed in my training.’’
The Brazilian also revealed that he has many people around him who help him on a daily base with football and life in general. ‘’When things are going well in your life outside, the work is going better. But of course sometimes you have a problem the team don’t need to know about. You have to go and play and try to keep it apart and focus on the game. It happens, but it’s part of football.’’
Family
That’s why the 28-year-old separates his family and private life from his work life. ‘’I try to work hard – and at home sometimes I train as well – but when I take time with my kids, with my wife, I try to forget about football and choose to enjoy the time with them. If you can separate things, it works well. It [has] for me.’’
Joelinton met his wife Thays when he was 17 and got married earlier this year. Together they have three children. ‘’Kids are special. The best thing [that] can happen in your life. When you take your kid in your arms it’s the greatest experience ever. So my kids are everything for me.’’
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‘’My wife helped me a lot [the night before a game]. When the babies cry and want to eat, sometimes I sleep in the other room to have a good night of sleep [because] I have to work hard the next day. But my wife works hard as well, to take care of the kids. She’s fantastic.’’
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