Sports
Payet, Bolasie and Depay — why are so many random European players heading to Brazil?
A recent segment on a sports bulletin on Brazilian television neatly captured the excitement — and bafflement — caused by an influx of European players.
It started with a montage of goals scored by Memphis Depay, signed by Corinthians last week in a move that has sent large sections of the Sao Paulo club’s fanbase into delirium. Clips of supporters mimicking the Dutch forward’s trademark fingers-in-ears goal celebration were only a small sample of what can be expected in the months ahead.
Then came images of other players: Denmark international Martin Braithwaite; Maxime Dominguez, a midfielder from Switzerland; French 20-year-old Mohamed El Arouch; the former Norwich City and Newcastle United full-back Jamal Lewis.
All have signed for clubs in Brazil since the end of the 2023-24 European season. The TV segment playfully labelled the rundown a “Tour of Random Gringos”.
This is not even the full extent of it, however. The complete version of the list would also include former France playmaker Dimitri Payet, who has been playing for Vasco da Gama since August 2023, and Tobias Figueiredo, once a Portugal player at youth level and now at Criciuma on loan from Fortaleza. Spaniard Hector Hernandez is a possible strike partner for Depay at Corinthians. There is also Yannick Bolasie, also at Criciuma. He may have played 50 times for DR Congo, but he was born in France and raised in England, making him plenty European enough to count as an import from what Brazilians call the Old Continent.
An historic move for @Jamal_lewis1 🇧🇷🔥
Congratulations to our client Jamal Lewis who has completed a loan move to Brazilian giants @SaoPauloFC ✍️ #SPFC #NUFC pic.twitter.com/DakkLuKHb8
— PLG (@PLG_agency) September 3, 2024
It is an eye-catching trend whichever way you cut it. There have been Europeans in Brazil before — Serbian playmaker Dejan Petkovic is considered a legend at Flamengo and Clarence Seedorf had a memorable late-career spell at Botafogo — but never before have there been so many at once in the modern era. With numbers likely to swell further, it seems an appropriate time to ask the obvious question: what the heck is going on?
For one thing, the laws governing the use of players from outside Brazil have been slackening. Two years ago, clubs could use a maximum of five foreigners in a matchday squad. That was changed to seven in 2023. In March, the clubs in the top division of the Campeonato Brasileiro voted unanimously to raise the cap again, up to nine.
The impact of those alterations has been felt most keenly within South America. Brazil has hoovered up talent from Argentina, Uruguay and its other neighbours for years; now they can really cut loose. Current league leaders Botafogo have six non-Brazilian South Americans in their ranks, as do second-placed Palmeiras. Gremio, the traditional home of many such ‘hermanos’, have nine. The extra leeway, though, has also brought other markets into the equation.
It helps that Brazilian football has, broadly speaking, become more accommodating of outside voices over the last decade. Portuguese coaches Jorge Jesus and Abel Ferreira have enjoyed enormous success, beating a path that many others have followed. The local football federation wanted to break with tradition and appoint Carlo Ancelotti as coach of the men’s national team. Funding from abroad has led to modernisation behind the scenes. It makes sense that these patterns would be replicated on the pitch, too.
It is tempting to see the wave of Europeans as a sign that the Brazilian game is thriving. From afar, one might assume Brazilian clubs have acquired the financial clout to compete for players they would not previously have been able to sign, or the kinds of international scouting networks that would have been anathema to past generations. Maybe recent structural changes — the 2021 law that allowed clubs to become public companies (SAFs), increasing foreign investment, talk of a breakaway league — have moved the Campeonato Brasileiro up in the world.
This, though, would be an incredibly rosy-eyed reading. It would be one thing if these signings were concentrated among clubs who have their act together, but there is no real correlation. Gremio, who signed Braithwaite to replace the departed Luis Suarez in July, are on a solid financial footing, for example, but Corinthians have debts of more than two billion Reais (£278million, $368 million). If Depay cannot help them claw themselves out of the relegation zone in the remaining 12 matches of the season, they face financial ruin.
Martin Braithwaite playing for Gremio last month (Albari Rosa/AFP/Getty Images)
For Rodrigo Capelo, Brazil’s foremost expert on football finances, the recent spate of European arrivals is nothing to be excited about.
“These recent signings seem much more like a fad than anything strategic or based on structural change in Brazilian football,” he tells The Athletic. “Opportunities have arisen and club owners sensed they would go down well with fans. In the past, they only signed Brazilians or South Americans. Now they also have the chance to sign European players. They look good in photos.”
The comparison between Seedorf and Depay is interesting. Seedorf was 36 and some way past his prime when he joined Botafogo in 2012. Depay is 30 and still a mainstay of the Dutch national team. It would be a stretch to call it a coup, given that none of Europe’s top teams appeared to want him this summer, but it doesn’t feel like nothing.
Depay was keen to paint himself as a kind of envoy from the future at his first Corinthians press conference. “We always come to take the Brazilian talents to Europe because they have something special,” he said. “This league needs a light from the other side. It is time to show its potential. It will happen in the next few years.”
Capelo is not convinced. “It would be positive if this was a true sign that Brazilian football was getting stronger, more profitable, more responsible, more sustainable,” he says. “If that was the truth, it would be cool to pass that message on to the wider world by signing players who were still in demand in the European market, but it’s not the case.
“None of the players here today could find clubs in Europe. It’s interesting that they saw Brazil as an alternative but it doesn’t change our image on the global scene.”
For Capelo, the Seedorf example also serves as a cautionary tale. For all the excitement about that signing, for all that Seedorf proved to be an inspiration on the pitch, the move also symbolised the kind of financial irresponsibility that has so often defined the Brazilian game. When the sponsorship deals and a round of TV bonuses that had funded Seedorf’s arrival dried up, Botafogo were left on the brink of collapse. A year after the Dutchman retired, they were relegated to Serie B.
Seedorf playing for Botafogo in 2013 (Ricardo Ramos/Getty Images)
A decade on, plenty has changed. The rise of SAFs, including Botafogo, Cruzeiro, Fortaleza and Bahia, has been widely credited with bringing in fresh ideas and much-needed investment. The ownership model also tends to shape transfer policy: without presidential elections every few years, there is less temptation for these clubs to go for splashy, big-name signings that might previously have swayed fans in the short term.
Botafogo, for instance, spent heavily this summer, but on players who might reasonably be expected to increase in value. “We spent €20million on Luiz Henrique (from Real Betis), which is no big deal in Europe but was a record fee in Brazil,” John Textor, the owner of the club’s SAF, tells The Athletic. “We then broke it again for Thiago Almada (from Atlanta United). But we think these are investments and we have also invested money in our facilities. When (former Manchester United defender) Alex Telles joined, he told me that our training ground is the best of any club he’s played for.”
These advances have not been universal, however. Capelo, for one, still sees lingering similarities with the Seedorf era. He points to the recent boom in the Brazilian gambling industry, which has brought money into the game but may not be sustainable. “Certain practices still resemble those of the past,” he says.” A lot of clubs are spending money they don’t have.”
You can understand the appeal to the players. Depay is rumoured to be earning around £96,000 ($127,000) a week at Corinthians — not top European wages but hardly to be sniffed at. He will probably be one of the best players in the league. Like Telles, he has been impressed by the facilities at his new club. “The structure here is similar (to that at top European clubs), maybe even better in some respects,” Depay said at his unveiling.
There are also intangibles. The lifestyle available to rich footballers in Brazil will be markedly different to that they might experience in Saudi Arabia, say. There is also the allure of playing in what Depay called “the Mecca of football”, plus the undeniable feeling of adventure to it all.
It is much less clear whether deals like this augur anything good for the league. Bolasie is fast becoming a cult hero for Criciuma but it would be no great surprise if some of the other signings go the same way as Jese and Hugo Mallo, two Spaniards who pitched up last year and made minimal impact. And while not all of the European signings represent huge financial gambles, there does still seem to be an appetite for the outlandish: UEFA Champions League winners Mario Balotelli and Sergio Ramos have been linked with money-spinning moves in the last couple of months.
As for Depay, his contract includes an escape clause if Corinthians are relegated. The deal has largely been funded by one of the club’s sponsors, a betting company.
“These moves aren’t happening because Brazilian football became richer,” says Capelo, “but because there’s still a lot of irresponsibility.”
(Top photo: Memphis Depay training in Sao Paulo; by Nelson Almeida/AFP via Getty Images)
Sports
NBA player calls for Hawks to cancel their ‘Magic City’ strip club promotional night out of respect for women
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An NBA player has taken exception to an Atlanta Hawks promotional night, which is a nod to a famed strip club in the city.
The Hawks have “Magic City Night” scheduled for March 16 against the Orlando Magic, but a player for neither team isn’t too fond of paying tribute to a strip club, which has been famed for its late-night stories involving athletes, celebrities and more.
While the Hawks call it an ode to a “cultural institution,” San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet shared his displeasure in a letter posted on Medium.
Luke Kornet of the San Antonio Spurs reaches for the ball during the third quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on Feb. 26, 2026 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Ishika Samant/Getty Images)
Kornet, a nine-year veteran and 2024 NBA champion with the Boston Celtics, called for the Hawks’ promotional night to be canceled later this month, saying that it is disrespectful to women to honor the strip club.
“In its press release, the Hawks failed to acknowledge that this place is, as the business itself boasts, “Atlanta’s premier strip club.” Given this fact, I would like to respectfully ask that the Atlanta Hawks cancel this promotional night with Magic City,” Kornet wrote in his post.
“The NBA should desire to protect and esteem women, many of whom work diligently every day to make this the best basketball league in the world. We should promote an atmosphere that is protective and respectful of the daughters, wives, sisters, mothers, and partners that we know and love.”
The Hawks boasted about the theme night in its press release, including a live performance by famous Atlanta rapper T.I., a co-branded, limited-edition hoodie and even the establishment’s “World Famous” lemon-pepper chicken wings in the arena.
A general view of signage with the State Farm Arena logo on Nov. 14, 2025, outside State Farm Arena, in Atlanta, GA. (Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire)
“This collaboration and theme night is very meaningful to me after all the work that we did to put together ’Magic City: An American Fantasy’,” said Hawks principal owner, filmmaker and actor, Jami Gertz, said in a press release. “The iconic Atlanta institution has made such an incredible impact on our city and its unique culture.”
Kornet wrote that allowing the night to continue “without protest would reflect poorly on us as an NBA community, “specifically in being complicit in the potential objectification and mistreatment of women in our society.”
Kornet wrote that “others throughout the league” were surprised by the Hawks’ decision to have this promotional night.
“We desire to provide an environment where fans of all ages can safely come and enjoy the game of basketball and where we can celebrate the history and culture of communities in good conscience. The celebration of a strip club is not conduct aligned with that vision,” he wrote.
Luke Kornet of the San Antonio Spurs defends against the Charlotte Hornets during their game at Spectrum Center on Jan. 31, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
The Hawks have seen good reception for the promotional night, as Tick Pick reported a get-in price was initially $10 for the game and has since skyrocketed to $94.
Kornet is in his first season with the Spurs, his sixth NBA team, where he has played mainly in a bench role. He averages 7.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game across 50 contests.
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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — How do you improve on the perfect ending?
Clayton Kershaw stood in the desert heat Monday, wearing a far darker shade of blue than the Dodgers do. He does not need a medal, or a chance to fail. His election to the Hall of Fame will be a formality.
In his farewell year, the Dodgers won the World Series, becoming baseball’s first back-to-back champions in 25 years. He secured a critical out. He bathed in adoration at the championship rally, and he told the fans he would be one of them this year.
“I’m going to watch,” he hollered that day, “just like all of you.”
Four months later, he was back in uniform.
He wore a dark blue jersey with red-and-white piping. As Team USA ran through its first World Baseball Classic workout, Kershaw participated in pitchers’ fielding practice and shagged fly balls during batting practice. He could have been home with his five kids, and instead he was rushing off the mound to take a throw at first base.
That November night in Toronto, as it turned out, was not the last time we would see him in uniform.
“Feels good,” he said Monday. “I wouldn’t put on a uniform for anything else. This is a special thing.”
He put the World Baseball Classic into red, white and blue perspective.
“It’s a bucket list thing for me,” he said.
He is either self-deprecating or painfully honest about his capabilities right now, or perhaps a little of both.
The last World Baseball Classic came down to Shohei Ohtani pitching to Mike Trout. This one could come down to Kershaw pitching to Ohtani.
“I think, for our country’s sake, it’s probably better if I don’t,” Kershaw said.
Former Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw fields a ground ball during a workout at Papago Park Sports Complex on Monday.
(Chris Coduto / Getty Images)
Never say never. Team USA planned to run a tremendous rotation of Tarik Skubal, Paul Skenes, Joe Ryan and Logan Webb, but now Skubal says he will pitch just once in the tournament. Skenes says he’ll pitch twice. Ryan says he won’t pitch in the first round, at least.
Kershaw might be needed beyond the role he was promised: save the team from using the current major league pitchers in blowouts or extra innings.
In 11 career at-bats against Kershaw, Ohtani has no hits. Kershaw won’t duck the assignment if gets it, but he considers it so unlikely he is happy to share his game plan publicly.
“It’s throw it, pitch away, play away, hope he flies out to left,” Kershaw said. “Don’t throw it in his barrel.
“I can’t imagine, if it comes down to USA versus Japan, with the arms that we have, that I’ll be needed. But I’ll be ready.”
Kershaw’s average fastball velocity dropped to 89 mph last season, but he led the majors in winning percentage. He could eat innings for some team — maybe even the Dodgers, with Blake Snell and Gavin Stone all but certain to be unavailable on opening day.
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, right, celebrates with teammates after the Dodgers defeated the Toronto Blue Jays for the 2025 World Series title.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
But, even with his success last year and even with the joy of wearing a uniform once again, he insists he isn’t interested in pitching beyond the WBC.
“I don’t want to,” he said. “You can’t end it better than I did last year. I had a great time last year. It was an absolute blast and honor to be on that team. I think that was the perfect way to end it. Honestly, I don’t know if I would have enough in the tank to pitch for a full season again. I’m really at peace with that decision.
“This is kind of a weird one-off thing, but you can’t really turn down this opportunity. It wasn’t easy to get ready for this, with no motivation for a season, but I actually am in a pretty good spot with my arm. I’ll be fine. If they need me, I’ll be ready.”
Kershaw said he has kept in touch with his old Dodgers teammates, with some connecting on video calls from the weight room or clubhouse at Camelback Ranch. He arrived in the Phoenix area two days before the workout, but he skipped a trip to Camelback Ranch.
“I’ve thought about it,” he said. “I miss the guys. I think it’s probably just better, at least for this first year, for me mentally to just stay away, just for spring training.”
Kershaw said he would be at Dodger Stadium for the championship ring ceremony March 27.
He is content with what he calls “Dad life.” He and his wife, Ellen, just welcomed their fifth child, and Dad life includes lots of shuttles to baseball and basketball practice.
“I run an Uber service,” Kershaw said.
This wouldn’t be a Dodgers story these days without some reference to the team’s big spending so, for what it’s worth, Kershaw spent some time Tuesday chatting with Skubal, who will be the grand prize on the free-agent market next winter, or whenever the likely lockout might end.
That’s a rational explanation, Kershaw says, for Skubal pitching just once in the WBC.
“Everybody knows the situation he is in, contract-wise,” Kershaw said. “Any innings we can get out of him is a huge bonus to this team. He’s great. Super competitive. We’re honored to have him.”
Should we assume Skubal will be pitching for the Dodgers next season? Kershaw laughed.
“No comment,” he said, then walked away to get ready for the first game of his post-retirement life.
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Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley sounded off on the frenzied reactions to the U.S. men’s hockey team getting invited to the White House by President Donald Trump.
Trump talked to the Olympic gold medal-winning team immediately after they defeated Canada in overtime last weekend. He said they would be invited to his State of the Union address and added that he needed to invite the women’s team as well or he would be “impeached.”
Charles Barkley sits courtside against the Minnesota Timberwolves during an NBA Cup game at Mortgage Matchup Center on Nov. 21, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
Trump critics took the joke as a shot at the women’s team, which sparked questions from NHL and Professional Women’s Hockey League reporters as the players returned to their respective club teams.
“I’m proud of the United States men. I’m proud of the United States women. You should have invited both of them to the White House, but it shouldn’t have been disrespect, misogyny,” Barkley said on the “Steam Room” podcast. “Like, yo, man, why do y’all have to mess everything up? Everything isn’t Democrat, Republican, conservative, liberal. That’s why we got this divided, screwed up country. Stop it man. Because, you know, the public, they’re idiots. They’re fools. They can’t think for themselves. I know y’all say stuff to trigger them. Y’all say stuff and y’all know they’re going to be fools.”
Barkley lamented that the average person would get riled up over the supposed controversy.
The U.S. team poses for a group photo after defeating Canada in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Milan, Italy, on Feb. 22, 2026. (Luca Bruno/AP Photo)
“We don’t have to fall for stupidity. But we do – that’s my point. These people out here are stupid. They need something to trigger them. Just because they want us to be stupid. We don’t have to be stupid. He should have invited both teams to the White House. Simple as that. Guys who didn’t want to go shouldn’t have to explain why they didn’t go.”
The former Philadelphia 76ers, Houston Rockets and Phoenix Suns star made clear he would go to the White House regardless of whether Trump was in office.
“I’ve said this before, I’m not a Trump guy. But if I got invited to the White House, I would go. I’m not a Trump guy – I want to make that clear. But I respect the office,” Barkley said. “He’s the president of the United States. But if guys don’t want to go, I understand that too. It doesn’t have to be a talking point. It doesn’t have to be un-American.
Megan Keller (5) celebrates with a flag alongside Cayla Barnes (3) of Team United States after scoring the game-winning goal in overtime during the women’s gold medal match against Canada on Day 13 of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 19, 2026. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
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“I just wish y’all would stop falling for the stupidity.”
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