"I want to be the best player in the Russian championship."

At the end of January, Brazil midfielder Luis Henrique officially became a Zenit player. In exchange for the Botafogo superstar, the Blue-Whites sent to Brazil Arthur (he will join the new team in winter) and Wendel, whose transfer will take place in the summer.

At the training camp, the player justifies the expectation of the main striking force of the reigning Russian champions. In an interview with Izvestia and Sport-Express, Luis Enrique explained why he failed to play in the Spanish league, shared the emotional moment of his first goal for the national team, and also assured that he will try to break Hulk's record.

Between soccer and judo

- As a child you also practiced judo. Why did you eventually choose soccer? Was there a moment when you wanted to quit soccer and concentrate on martial arts?

- Yes, there was. At some point I realized that I wanted to connect my life with judo, because my friends called me to do this sport. Although I liked soccer too. But then I realized that judo was not my thing. I realized that I should stay in soccer, because since childhood I loved to play with a ball in the street with my friends. And I often heard from different people that I have a future in soccer. That's why I chose it.

- At the age of 11 you got into the academy of "Fluminense". According to your first coach Johnny Max, after a year you thought about leaving soccer and dedicating yourself to judo because of the distance between the academy and your home. How many hours a day did the commute take?

- At the time I was in school, right after which I had to go every day to Sherem, where the Fluminense academy is located. And for me it was very difficult, because there was no time at all. First I went to school, then I came back, ate, and then went to Sherem. I spent at least four or five hours on the road. But over time I got used to it, also thanks to my brothers, who regularly talked to me and supported me. They have always played an important role in my life. For the sake of my family, I picked myself up and continued to build my career.

- In judo it would have been much harder to reach the same heights that you had already achieved in soccer. When did you realize you had made the right choice?

- At some point I realized that I was making more progress in soccer because I had more practice. That's when I switched from judo and told myself that I would dedicate my life to soccer.

- You made your debut for Fluminense in 2020 and played alongside Nino for three years. Did you communicate with him before your transfer to Zenit? How does he help you adapt to the new club?

- Yes, Nino was my friend at Fluminense, he talked to me a lot. When he found out that I was moving to Zenit, he sent me a message. In it Nino told me that I would be happy at Zenit, that I was welcome here. He emphasized that we will achieve a lot together. He told about the wonderful players of the team, the wonderful city, culture and people, club infrastructure, the stadium - a unique facility. That's why I made the decision to come here.

- Do you know that Nino is actively learning Russian and reading Russian literature? Are you going to learn the language too?

- Yes, I know about it. I think Nino started learning Russian even before he came to Russia - he was definitely reading books! I'm going to speak Russian too, I want to learn, although I know it will be a bit difficult. But I'm going to devote time to it, I'm going to work on learning. God willing, in a few years, or even months, I'll be able to speak Russian too.

- You know something already?

- Yes. "Bye-bye", "okay", "come on"!

At Zenit I'll continue to celebrate goals with the Black Panther gesture.

- In 2022 you moved to Betis, but in the Spanish championship you scored only one goal in 47 games. Why did your career at this club not work out in your opinion?

- I think that in Betis I had a long period of adaptation: I could not quickly adapt to Spanish soccer. It is difficult for any newcomer to adapt to the team without practice.

- In Spain you were nicknamed Black Panther. Tell us how you got it? What does it mean to you?

- Once we were talking with my friends and Betis coach on physical training. And at one point he said that I looked like the Black Panther. This idea appealed to my friend, who composed a song for me and suggested that I wear a mask and display the Black Panther gesture during celebrations. He emphasized that it would catch on, kids and fans would love it. And I liked the idea, because this is the first dark-skinned superhero.

- In Zenit you will also celebrate goals with a mask and a gesture "Wakanda forever"?

- Yes, in Zenit I will continue to do so. I didn`t have a mask at the training camp, but I`ll get one.

- In general, can you call yourself an ardent fan of Marvel comics and movies?

- I don't watch that many of them. But I do like some of them.

- If you were a superhero, what superpower would you like to have?

- I really like the Flash, because he's so fast. I'm also often called fast. So out of all the superpowers, I would choose the speed that Flash has.

The King of the Americas prize gives me a lot of strength and confidence

- A year ago you returned to Brazil, to Botafogo, who had not won the Libertadores Cup and had not won the championship for almost 30 years. But with your arrival, everything changed. Could you have predicted that the year would turn out to be so triumphant?

- In my first interview after my transfer to Botafogo, I said that this club deserved to be on top and it was time to win something. I knew it would be difficult, but nothing is impossible in our job. So in the course of our daily routine, we managed to win titles that Botafogo had never won - never or for a very long time.

- Is the goal in the Libertadores Cup final the best moment of your career so far?

- That goal was special because it was a final, and a very difficult one at that. So I think that at this stage it is the most important goal of my career.

- At the end of the season you received the title of "King of America", which at different times received Pele and Diego Maradona. And in 2024, you beat Messi in the fight for the prize. What does it mean to you?

- It gives me a lot of strength and confidence, but I also realize that it is a big responsibility. It is very important not only for me, but also for my family.

I have a lot of respect for Hulk

- Who is the best player in the history of soccer?

- Messi. He has achieved fantastic results. And he's also left-handed (smiles).

- But you're Brazilian and he's Argentinian! Not Ronaldo, not Pele?

- I don't think there has ever been anyone of that level, although I haven't seen Pele play live. But I do see Messi play and that's why I consider him the best in history.

- I read that you named your dog Messi. Why?

- Yes, it's true. I named him Messi because he is also light and in a good way he reminds me of him (smiles).

- A week before the Libertadores Cup final you received the only red card in your career in the match against Atletico Mineiro and had an argument with Hulk - the legend of Zenit. What happened between you two?

- We had a disagreement on the pitch, but it happens when both opponents are maximally immersed in the match and heated. Everything is fine between us now, we got to know each other, we started to communicate. Moreover, when I moved to Zenit, Hulk called me and said that I would be well received here, that I would feel comfortable here, that everyone would support me. So we are already friends.

- But then Hulk said some rather offensive words about the fact that you haven`t won anything yet. That didn't hurt you?

- No. I respect Hulk very much, I've always followed his career. He's a great player and he's making history at Atletico Mineiro right now. I'm not angry. I'm not the type of person who takes things personally at all.

- Hulk scored 77 goals for Zenit, becoming the most prolific foreigner in the club's history. Can you imagine scoring that many for Zenit?

- I will work every day to equal and surpass it. I know it will be difficult, but God willing, I will be able to reach or even surpass Hulk.

- 77 goals is a more than respectable number.

- I understand. If you work hard at Zenit and score a lot, anything is possible.

All Brazilians were upset that Vinicius did not get the Golden Ball

- Last fall you made your debut for the Brazilian national team and already scored two goals. Do you remember your emotions after the first goal against Chile?

- I was beyond happy when I scored, because it was my dream and also my father's dream for me to play for the Brazilian national team. And in that moment I realized that I was formed as a professional. So right after the goal, I was very emotional. I was happy that I scored for my country's national team.

- You were on the extended list of the national team before the 2022 World Cup. Were you upset when you didn't make the final list?

- No, I wasn't upset, because there are a lot of top-level players in the Brazilian national team, there has always been and will always be strong competition. Of course, I was happy to be on the extended list, but since I wasn't called up, it means there are other players who are also great. I continued to work - I realized that my time had not yet come.

- How do you assess your chances of going to the next World Championship?

- I think that I just need to do my job. At Zenit I will have a chance to go to the national team again. Of course, I need to play well in the Russian championship for the coach to call me to the national team.

- You know Vinicius, you played with him in the national team. How did you react when you learned that he did not win the Golden Ball?

- All Brazilians were sad that Vinicius didn't win the Ballon d'Or, because he deserved it as he had an incredible season at Real Madrid. We were all very sad - we were sure he would win. But we can't control what happens. I have no doubt he will win the trophy next time.

- When you started your career, you were called the new Vinicius in Brazil, even though you play on different flanks. What does this comparison mean to you?

- I am very flattered by comparisons to Vinicius because he plays a lot and has a lot of potential. So when I was first compared to Vinicius, I was very happy because he is a player of high level, works hard and strives to be the best.

The time will come when Russian clubs will play in the European cups again

- Let's move on to Zenit. What did you know about the club and Russian soccer before the transfer?

- I knew that it was a big European club that had won the Russian championship six years in a row; it had European trophies. Zenit and its fans are talked about all over the world. Everyone I talked to assured me that the club always supports its players, helps them adapt, so I was strongly interested in moving here.

- Apart from Zenit, what Russian clubs did you know about?

- To be honest, I had not heard about other clubs from Russia before. But I heard about Zenit in Brazil often, because there are a lot of Brazilian players here. This is another reason why I chose Zenit.

- You have already played against Spartak at the training camp. Do you know that this is the most fundamental opponent for Zenit? Were you not surprised by the scuffle in the second half?

- No, I was not surprised, because Mantuan, Nino and Douglas told me before the match that this game is always full of fight, and both teams want to win. And I really like these matches!

- You scored your first goal for Zenit just against Spartak. Does it have a special meaning for you?

- Yes, because it was my debut goal for Zenit and one of my first victories. It was also a goal in the derby, which is always difficult and very tense. That's why I attach great importance to this goal, I will keep this goal in my memory.

- In the match against Spartak you scored from the left flank, although most often during your career you played on the right. Where do you feel more comfortable?

- I like to play on the right - I feel more comfortable and confident there.

- From the outside it seems that the negotiations went very quickly. How long did you think about the offer of the Blue-Belo-Blues?

- Everything went very quickly. I was still on vacation in Brazil when my agents informed me about the offer - I was interested because it was about Zenit. I knew that they would help me to adapt quickly.

- "Zenit", like all Russian clubs, is suspended from the European Cup. Didn`t it embarrass you during the transfer?

- No, it didn`t bother me, because I know: we have everything ahead of us, the time will come when Russian clubs will play in European cups again. You just have to be calm, patient and work for this moment to come.

- "Zenit" celebrates its centenary this year, so your transition is especially important for the club. Do you feel responsible because of this?

- Yes, it is a serious responsibility. "Zenit" is a very big club, which has a rich history. I am very happy to be here in such an important year for the club. I'm going to help Zenit make this history and win more titles.

- Do you have a specific goal for the spring?

- I always want to score goals and be the best on the pitch. I want to be the best player of the Russian championship! I have a lot of goals and I want to achieve them.