Philippe Coutinho will no longer play for his youth club Vasco da Gama. The former Bayern Munich pro had recently come under criticism and was booed heavily by his own fans.
Philippe Coutinho’s permanent return to Vasco da Gama was only finalized last summer, after the Brazilian had previously been loaned from Aston Villa to his youth club. However, the supposedly dream return is now over. The 33-year-old terminated his contract with the club, even though, according to media reports, an extension of the contract, which was originally set to run until 2026, had been on the table.
He is “mentally exhausted,” Coutinho wrote on his own Instagram account. “I have always been very reserved, so it’s not easy for me to say this, but I have to be honest,” he explained.
“Love affair” with the club despite boos
“My relationship with Vasco is a love affair. And it will always be that way,“ emphasized the midfielder, who won the treble with FC Bayern in 2020 and whose career had been on a downward rather than upward trajectory since then. ”It is with a heavy heart that I understand that now is the time to take a step back and end this cycle at Vasco. I am grateful for everything I have experienced here.”
Most recently, Coutinho was booed heavily by his own fans during a game in the prestigious Campeonato Carioca, the Rio de Janeiro state championship, against second-division side Volta Redonda, and after being substituted at halftime, he did not return to the bench in order to “focus on my mental health,” as he now explained. Coutinho continued: “At that moment, on my way to the dressing room, I felt and realized that my time at this club was over.”
Coutinho defends himself against criticism – future open
He defended himself against the criticism that had recently been directed at him, the former Brazilian international (68 caps, 21 goals): “Wearing this jersey was one of the most important decisions I have ever made. And I gave my best in every training session, in every game. Always!“
After all, he never lacked ”dedication, determination, and commitment.” After a poor start, Vasco da Gama is in 17th place in the Brazilian league with only one point after three games. Last season, they finished in 14th place.
“I would never treat the fans, my teammates, and Vasco with disrespect. I have never done that, no matter where I have played. Anyone who knows me knows that,” Coutinho wrote. The future of the former world-class Liverpool player, who once transferred to FC Barcelona for a whopping €135 million, remains unclear.