2025-10-19 09:32:27
Denilson never realised he was the world’s most expensive player when he moved to Real Betis.
The former midfielder left Sao Paolo for Spain for a record £21.5 million in 1998 and though he knew he’d receive a “life-changing” sum as a result, he wasn’t aware of the significance of his transfer fee until later.
He told FourFourTwo magazine: “Brazilian law at the time meant I was entitled to just 15 percent of that sum but still, it was a life-changing amount of money.
“More than twice the offer from Barcelona and a chance to secure my family’s future.
“Today, people always talk about career planning. Back then, it didn’t exist.
“My train was there and I had to jump on it. My first priority was sorting out my parents’ lives, the rest came after.
“Only later, when the press highlighted it, did I realise it was a world-record transfer fee.
“Honestly, I barely cared.
“My only concern was giving my family comfort.”
Denilson regards his time at Betis as when he “became a man” because life on the pitch was so tough.
He said: “Moving to Betis was the moment that I became a man and a real professional footballer.
“I didn’t know much about Seville.
“I’d been told that I’d cope with the language, the winters weren’t too harsh and the food would be fine.
“My parents came with me, so things were good off the pitch. But on it, I struggled.
“I wasn’t playing well and football stopped being fun.
“I lost some of the irreverence that I carried. Instead came sadness, anger, pressure.
“I thought adapting to Spanish football would be easy, given my four brilliant years in Brazil.
“However, the expectations on me were enormous and the press questioned how anyone could pay such a fee for me. I grew up quickly through those tough times.”
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