tottenham Now this may be a chapter from Carlos Vinicius’ past, but it is the club he most references when discussing the biggest influences on his career.
The former Spurs striker, who enjoyed Remarkable return to Brazil with Grêmio In 2025, sat down together globo esporte And offered a lengthy reflection on his experiences in north London, offering fresh stories about Jose Mourinho, Harry Kane, Gareth Bale, Son Heung-min and Lucas Moura.
Mourinho remains his biggest reference
The striker was asked which coach had developed his game the most. He did not hesitate.
“With group management, with knowing how to win, with understanding the game like no one else, Jose Mourinho.”
Vinicius explained that Mourinho’s reading of matches was unlike anything he had experienced before.
“We’ll go to a game and he’ll say: ‘This is going to happen, this is going to happen, this is going to happen for the positive, and this is going to happen for the negative.’ Then the game will open and you will already know.”
The Brazilian made it clear that his admiration extended far beyond football achievements.
“For me, he is the one I respect the most. I realized it’s not just because of the titles, but because of the person, the way he leads, the way he is. For me, Mourinho is at the top. The greatest.”
The FaceTime Call That Changed Everything
Vinicius then shared the story of how his relationship with Mourinho began even before he arrived at Tottenham.
He recalled being told that Mourinho would call him personally if the move was closer. At first he did not believe it.
“When they told me that Mourinho was going to call me, I thought it was nonsense.”
Just then his phone rang. “He called me on FaceTime. I looked at the screen and thought: ‘No way.'”
Instead of a serious discussion on football, Mourinho immediately joked with him.
“He asked me how I was and then said: ‘Look, don’t come here wearing flip-flops because it’s cold.'”
The comment immediately sparked controversy. And Vinicius admitted that he was expecting the same version of Mourinho that is usually seen in interviews and press conferences.
“I imagined an angry Mourinho. The Mourinho we see from the outside.”
Instead, she found someone very different.
“He started sending me messages. Like any other member of the club. Like a coordinator. Then I arrived and he would talk to me. Sometimes I thought: ‘Oh my God, is this really the real Mourinho?'”
“I see that you like me”
One of the stories that stuck with him most happened shortly after his arrival.
Expecting to be immediately integrated into the main group preparing for matches, Vinicius found himself training repeatedly with players who were not involved in the next games. He couldn’t understand why.
“I kept training and training, and he passed me by.”
The striker also joked that Spurs hero Lucas Moura would recognize Mourinho’s mannerisms.
“He’ll come over with his hand in his jacket and say: ‘You’re training very well, keep going.'”
Yet Vinicius remained confused.
“Training well? Then put me in the pitch!”
Concerned that he had somehow disappointed the manager, he contacted Tottenham’s coaching staff.
“I asked the paramedics what I had done wrong. I thought I was dead.”
The answer was simple: “Just keep working.”
And he did. After almost a week and a half, Mourinho finally explained everything.
“He came to me and said: ‘You never stopped working. Now I see that you’re like me. I can trust you.'”
Vinicius believes he was tested During the entire period.
“He was testing me. These are things that are very difficult to explain and very hard to learn in coaching courses.”
Kane, Bale, Beta and Lucas Moura
In the interview Vinicius also discussed some of the biggest names he shared the dressing room with at Tottenham.
“The one who really caught my attention was Harry Kane, because he is at the highest level,” he said.
“One thing about Harry Kane that really caught my attention was that he would score a hat-trick and the next morning nothing had changed. He would just continue his training. “He’s one of the most complete players I’ve ever seen.”
He continued walking.
“I would go so far as to say that a lot of people don’t understand what Harry Kane really is. He is at an absurd level. Everything you can talk about when it comes to football, Harry Kane has it.”
it is This is not the first time they have removed Kane’s name with appreciation. However, he was quick to mention others.
“Bale too. Son was on top for me too. Lucas Moura too.”
Because Kane usually concentrated on Premier League matches while Vinicius played more often in Cup and Europa League games, he spent more time on the pitch with Lucas Moura. This proved particularly important because of a practical problem.
“When I arrived at Tottenham, my English was weak.”
Vinicius laughed remembering those early days. “Not that I’m fluent anymore, but at least I’m not hungry anymore.”
Lucas Moura helped him settle in. “With Lucas, there was a really good relationship.”
For a striker who has rebuilt his career after leaving England, those memories are clearly alive. And of all the clubs he represented abroad, it is Tottenham that still provides most of the lessons and stories he chooses to tell.
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