Guwahati, Dec 7: Born and brought up in Brazil but won hearts in India. Thy name is Jose Ramirez Barreto. Barreto is one of the most loved footballers who has ever played on Indian soil.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Barreto used to dominate the Indian football scene and thus he left a mark in the heart of Indian football fans.
Now back in business in a new role as an analyst and studio expert with Sports18 and JioCinema for the FIFA World Cup.
"This is a big learning curve for me, and I am working to connect better with the viewers; trying to understand the nuances of the presentation and what the viewers want to hear takes time. But I will get better because persistence is one of my qualities," the Mohun Bagan legend told The Assam Tribune in an interview.
Barreto joined Mohun Bagan from the Japanese club Kawasaki Frontale in 1999. Till 2004, he represented the Kolkata giants in 180 matches and scored 126 goals. Then again he back to his beloved club in 2006 and appeared in 191 matches, scoring 102 goals till 2012. The numbers define the volume of his calibre.
Looking back at the golden phase of his life, the former talismanic striker said: "Although it's been 10 years since I stopped playing for Bagan, looking back makes me feel nostalgic because it was a long journey from my 20s until my mid-30s. There is still a lot of Bagan in me, and this relationship will never end because this club has given me a lot, helped me become the player I am and helped me understand my strengths and weaknesses."
"Winning the I-League and Derby matches (against arch-rival East Bengal) are the most cherished memories from my time there."
Now 46, Barreto thinks that joining the Mariners was the biggest moment of his life.
"It was my most significant moment, the beginning of my most fulfilling story," he said with a sense of pride.
Following his first stint with Mohun Bagan, Barreto signed for Penang FA, a Malaysian club. Then he also played for now-defunct Mahindra United before resuming his second spell at his 'home' Mohun Bagan.
Thus, this Brazilian spent his heyday in India amid the applause of Indian fans.
"India has always been giving; I have learnt a lot in my time here and found ways to enjoy every day here," Barreto reckoned.
"I am not surprised that there is a huge fan following of Brazilian football in India as we share the same passion for sports, politics, and family; we are similar in many ways."
Coming back to the field, who were the players that gave Barreto the toughest competition?
"I was privileged to play along with many stalwarts of Indian football and faced many tough competitors. The players from Goa were more often than not challenging to deal with, especially in our matches against Dempo. I particularly remember Clifford Miranda, Mahesh Gawli, Sameer Naik, Climax Lawrence, and Ranti Martins, among others," Barreto recalled.
Prediction for the World Cup?
"I would love to see Brazil win this World Cup because this team is one of our best generations since the outfit that had Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, and Ronaldo," he said.
Barreto is the highest scorer in Federation Cup and he played some of the matches in Guwahati as well which he remembers fondly.
"It was a long time ago, during the Federation cup. We had a great time over there," he said.
