The Dutch Memphis Depay He was received like a star on Wednesday at the Guarulhos International Airport in São Paulo by the fans of the Corinthiansat a time when the team is fighting to avoid relegation to the second division. The Dutch striker landed in the early hours of the morning at a private jet terminal and approached a fence to greet, take photos and sign autographs for a group of excited fans.
Depay, 30, an international with his national team, was without a club after finishing his time at Atlético Madrid and has signed a contract with Corinthians for two and a half seasons, that is, until the end of 2026. The fans of the São Paulo team began to gather at one of the exit doors of passenger terminal 3 from the early hours of Wednesday morning.
They were waiting for him with their high-pitched voices and the full repertoire of chants from one of the most traditional clubs in Brazil. “I hope he’s a goal scorer, that he helps our team, which is going through a bad phase, and saves us from relegation,” Marcelo dos Santos, a 25-year-old nurse who followed his new idol’s flight minute by minute from his cell phone, told EFE. “We’re going to win everything now,” he added, brimming with confidence.
Corinthians fans entertained Memphis at the airport
However, the fans had to move to the private jet terminal, about two kilometres away, when they learned that the former FC Barcelona, Manchester United and Olympique Lyon player was going to land in a private plane. Some of them gave up, but Depay was still warmly welcomed by the most enthusiastic, some of whom came straight from work and stayed up all night.
“Expectations are high. He’s a great addition to the team. I’m looking forward to seeing him on the pitch,” Antonio Marcos, a 29-year-old IT analyst who is often mistaken for the Dutch striker due to his resemblance, told EFE.
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Depay will meet his new teammates on Wednesday and will then travel to the Neo Química Arena stadium to experience the return leg of the Copa do Brasil quarter-finals, in which Corinthians must overcome the 2-1 deficit they suffered at Juventude.
The Sao Paulo team is going through a difficult institutional and sporting moment. At the moment, it is in the relegation zone of the Brazilian League, with 25 points in 25 games and only five wins in its record. However, it is still alive in the Copa do Brasil and the Copa Sudamericana, where it will face another Brazilian team, Fortaleza, in the quarter-finals this month.
