Man City’s Savinho on career: ‘My wife helped me a lot’

Manchester City star Sávio Moreira de Oliveira, popularly known as Savinho, expressed that his wife helped him with career choices.

Manchester City clashes against Liverpool on Sunday 23 February at the Etihad Stadium. Ahead of the match, Savinho talked about how his wife helped him make career choices, his time in Europe and more.

SAVINHO GUSHES OVER WIFE

Brazillian footballer Savinho opened up about how his wife helped him with making choices in his career, and how those choices, such as joining Girona, changed his life completely. He explained that this led to him joining Manchester City in 2024.

“My wife helped me a lot with that choice and Girona changed my life completely; it led to me joining Manchester City. Atlético Mineiro gave me an opportunity, helped to reach the senior level and sold me. Then, PSV was the first club to open the doors to Europe for me, made me learn through pain, but Girona led me to Manchester City,” he said in a Q&A shared with The South African, by Showmax.

Sanvinho is married to Anna Carolina Barbosa Moreira. The pair are expecting their first child together, announced in December 2024.

He explained that his experience in Europe while at Philips Sport Vereniging was difficult, but he did not regret going to PSV. However, he did struggle with the cold weather and language barrier.

“It was tough, very difficult. I don’t regret going to PSV at all. If I’m at Manchester City today it’s because PSV played their part in it. It was a struggle at PSV, the cold weather, the language, but I really liked playing for PSV, I made a lot of friends there, Brazilian friends, Dutch friends such as Xavi Simons. I don’t regret anything about going to PSV. Then suddenly, Girona emerged,” he said.

The footballer went on to say that he had told his wife he wants to play in Spain.

“I went to the U-20 World Cup, and before the tournament, my agent talked to me and said that World Cup was going to be very important to me, because everyone would be watching and I hardly got a game at PSV that season. So, I went to the U-20 World Cup with a lot of focus. I told my wife I was going to play my best because I wanted to go to a Spanish team. I told her, ‘I want to play in Spain’,” he continued.

SAVINHO ON CHOOSING NUMBER 26 AT MANCHESTER CITY

The Brazillian footballer also explained that he chose number 26 because of Riyad Mahrez, who played for Manchester City from 2018 to 2023. Savinho went on to explain that he doesn’t like being compared to Mahrez.

However, he has always looked up to him, noting he is an extraordinary shooter and goal scorer.

“Because of [Riyad] Mahrez. I don’t like people comparing me to him. Mahrez has his qualities, he was a great Man City player, I have mine as well. Some people say we are similar, but I think it’s just that he plays his way, I play my way, but yes, I chose it because of him. I’ve always looked up to him because we play on the same wing. He is very skilful, an extraordinary shooter and goal scorer,” he said.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON SAVINHO?

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