Paulo Henrique Chagas de Lima was born on the 12th of October 1989 in Ananindeua, Brazil, also known as Paulo Henrique Ganso or just Ganso. He was brought to Tuna Luso after being discovered by former Brazil international Giovanni, and at 15 years of age he joined Paysandu, but was snapped up by Santos in 2005. Here he became Neymar's best friend, with the pair growing up together at Santos, and they were really quite close, on and off the pitch. In fact, Ganso was present at the birth of Neymar's son and became the child’s godfather. In those early days they were considered equals, a thrilling duo set to become stars of the Brazilian national team. However their diverging paths are the perfect exercise for 'Where are they now?' articles. After making his Santos debut in 2008, a season before Neymar, Ganso quickly became one of Brazil’s most exciting youngsters. Ganso was capable of playing anywhere in midfield and was regarded as a talented and elegant offensive left-footed play maker, with excellent dribbling skills, ball control, balance, vision, and passing ability, who excelled at providing assists for his teammates. In addition to his creative and technical abilities, he also possessed a powerful and accurate shot from distance, aided his team defensively, due to his stamina, height and physical qualities, and could also play as a central midfielder. Such quality and versatility meant that he was first choice for Santos by the 2009 season. His nickname 'Ganso' means 'goose' in Portuguese and for a few glorious years, he looked fully capable of laying golden eggs for Santos and Brazil. By 2010 he was laying the first of those golden eggs; the Copa do Brasil (Brazil’s domestic cup), in which he was named Best Player, and the Campeonato Paulista (the São Paulo state championship), in which he was named in the team of the year. That year, Brazil legend Socrates called Ganso the best player of the current generation.
Fans clamoured for both him and Neymar to be included in Brazil’s 2010 World Cup squad but the conservative manager Dunga ultimately decided against it. That did not hinder Ganso's development and Santos regained the state championship over the next two campaigns, and in 2011 scooped an even bigger honour: the Copa Libertadores. Apart from one troubling injury in 2007, that sidelined him for six months, Ganso's career had started incredibly well. During this period, his friend Neymar's ascent was equally dramatic. While Ganso was pulling the strings from midfield, Neymar was scoring bucket loads of goals, including 43 in all competitions over the 2012 campaign. By the end of that season, a 23-year-old Ganso had a very respectable eight caps for the Brazilian national team. Neymar, however, three years younger, had 27, and was evidently moving ahead of his colleague. However in August 2010, it was reported that Ganso would have surgery on his injured left knee and would be out for six months. He made it back in time for the tail-end of Santos’s Copa Libertadores campaign, as Muricy Ramalho's side faced Penarol in the final. Having sat out the first leg, Ganso played the return fixture alongside the likes of Neymar, Danilo and Alex Sandro, all of who would make the journey to Europe in subsequent years. Instead Ganso settled for a move to Sao Paulo but there he enjoyed limited success, in terms of both trophies and performances. Although Sao Paulo won the Copa Sudamericana within three months of his arrival, that was to be his only trophy over four years. More importantly, he failed to earn a Brazil cap after leaving Santos. His form did improve after a couple of seasons, however, and playing with the likes of Kaka, Alexandre Pato and Luis Fabiano, 2014 brought the best out of the playmaker. So although he no longer appeared to be Neymar-class, the football world began to focus on him once more and keen observers included Sevilla, who signed him in the summer of 2016. "I know I have to work hard," Ganso said. "I come to Sevilla with a will to win titles. At 26 years of age I see myself as prepared to make the jump and do it well." There were, of course, moments of sheer brilliance in Andalusia, including sublime flicks, little tricks and defence-splitting passes, yet sadly, he fell short. Ganso went in and out of the team, and in summer 2018 was sent out on loan to Amiens. He struggled at the small French club and at the end of the season, joined Fluminense in Rio, his European adventure now a confirmed failure.
At one time Ganso was the talk of Brazil, largely because he offered something that others in his generation didn't. A throwback of sorts, his silky football didn't belong in Brazil’s state championships, in its attrition-like domestic game, but instead, alongside Pele, Jairzinho and Tostao at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Some said, 'Ganso is lazy yet lavishly good, a luxury who tugged on the heartstrings of all those whose beliefs are steeped in Samba football. "He’s a genius. I’m always saying that he's going to be Zidane 2.0." Neymar once told Globo TV of his Santos teammate, who wore its prestigious number 10 shirt. His friend though endured an awful run of luck with injuries, but had also been handed chances to impress at international level and failed to live up to his enormous reputation. His best football was always played in Brazil and back playing for Fluminense aged 34 he won the Copa Libertadores.
see also :- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2024/05/a-history-of-liverpool-thespians_28.html
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