Arsenal and Chelsea were career highlights for Jorginho, but he’s made it clear he’s not missing European football one bit since leaving England for Flamengo.
The 34-year-old spent most of his career in Europe, playing for Hellas Verona, Napoli, Chelsea and Arsenal before moving to Brazil earlier this year.
And while plenty of players struggle to adjust after spending so long abroad, Jorginho seems pretty happy with his decision.
He’s even admitted that he hasn’t felt homesick for Europe at any point since making the move.
Jorginho has no regrets about leaving Arsenal and Europe
Speaking to Brazilian TV show The Noite, on SBT, the midfielder discussed his decision to leave Arsenal and return to his home country. And Jorginho explained that playing professionally in Brazil was something he’d always wanted to experience.
“I came back precisely because I’d never played here. I was curious to see what Brazilian football was like,” he said.
“And I wanted to come back while I was still playing well, to contribute and win more trophies. So I felt it was the right moment to return, and it happened at the right time.”
Asked whether he’d had any regrets about leaving Europe, his answer was pretty straightforward.
“Not yet. I’m not missing Europe at all, to tell you the truth.”
That’s quite a statement from someone who spent almost two decades playing European football.
But given everything he achieved in Europe, it’s understandable that he wanted to try something different. And judging by his comments, the move has worked out exactly as he’d hoped.
| Club | Appearances | Minutes | Goals | Assists | Titles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chelsea | 213 | 16,528 | 29 | 8 | 4 |
| Napoli | 160 | 12,202 | 6 | 14 | 2 |
| Hellas Verona | 96 | 8,153 | 11 | 8 | 1 |
| Arsenal | 79 | 4,123 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| Flamengo | 64 | 4,925 | 8 | 6 | 4 |
Chelsea’s Club World Cup win had extra meaning
The interview also brought back some memories from his Chelsea days, particularly the 2021 Club World Cup final against Palmeiras.
Jorginho revealed that beating the Brazilian side meant a little more to him because they’d rejected him as a youngster.
“Oh, it definitely had a little extra flavour, especially because they [Palmeiras] had closed their doors to me back then,” he explained.
“After everything you go through, coming from a small town, getting all the way there and facing a team you tried to join but couldn’t, and then winning the Club World Cup against them…”
Well, Jorginho may have left Chelsea and Arsenal behind, but he certainly hasn’t forgotten some of his best moments in England. Even if for now a return to European football doesn’t seem to be anywhere on his mind.
