Sand it’s over. Yuri de Souza permanently hung up his boots in a tribute match that was played last Wednesday, a month after announcing his retirement at the age of 42.. He went with Ponferradina, the team of his life, in which he played 15 seasons (with a brief hiatus in Chinese football). And against Pontevedra, who welcomed him to Spain almost two decades ago, after his start in Portugal. Igor, his brother, was there. And Charles, his cousin. Together they formed a dream trio in Pasarón. Also many friends and former colleagues who wanted to be next to ‘O Fenómeno’ on such a special day. And the fans, who from now on will have to learn to be without their great idol. “I love you and I will love you until the last day of my life,” said the excited number 10 as the culmination of a night full of emotions.
Yuri leaves him, but will continue to be linked to the club, working in the Technical Secretariat. And all after breaking all records with Deportiva. More matches than anyone else (511). More goals than anyone else (197). He is the foreign footballer with the most goals in Second B and Second. And the Brazilian with the most goals in Spanish football (257). Next to nothing.
In Ponferrada he achieved three promotions to the silver category (2010, 2012 and 2019) and twice touched the playoffs for promotion to Primera, a division that he never entered despite the fact that Eibar wanted to sign him years ago. But Perhaps his greatest achievement was being named Adoptive Son of El Bierzo for being the ‘flag’ of a region in which he married and started a family..
Expelled like Zidane
A special player couldn’t say goodbye in a cold press conference. He did it with his team, on the green, in a friendly match. But before, in his last game as a professional, he saw a direct red card. It was in El Arcángel, minutes before Córdoba surpassed Ponferradina in the race to return to Second. A goodbye reminiscent of ‘Zizou’, sent off for his headbutt on Materazzi in the epilogue of his career.
Season… and love of colors
With 21 goals he was the third top scorer in the Second Division in the 2012-2013 season, only behind his cousin Charles, Pichichi with 27, and Jesé, who scored 22. Behind the Brazilian, Gerard Deulofeu and Oriol Riera, both with 18 The following year, all of them were playing in First Division. All except Yuri, who rejected any offer to continue at home, with Deportiva, with his people.
Best time
“Perhaps my most outstanding memory is the match against Almería (July 2020), in which I scored the winning goal that ended up giving us salvation. The pity was that the fans could not be in the stadium (COVID protocol) to enjoy that moment. I have it etched in my mind. It was a very important day for the club.”
A unique family
With the withdrawal of ‘O Fenómeno’ the story of the highest scoring family in Spanish football ended. 257 from Yuri, 106 from his brother Igor and 205 from Charles Dias, cousin of both. 568 in total, more than Cristiano Ronaldo’s 451 at Real Madrid or Messi’s 474 in the League.
And now, the Kings League
Yuri will combine his scouting work with the games of Rayo de Barcelona, a Kings League team chaired by streamer Spursito. And he will take advantage of his trips to Barcelona, where the competition is held, to watch games and scout players.
Yuri leaves him, but the magic must continue.
