One night in 2018, Welilngton Wildy, France, received an ultimatum: either he would change his life or he would lose the possibility of spending time with his daughter on a daily basis.
The player’s serious conversation with his wife had a direct impact on the future and left behind a France that accumulated controversies and disappointments wherever it went.
France scores a great goal in the XV, and Palmeiras remains unbeatable
At 33 years old and playing for União Cacoalense, from Rondônia, the midfielder who emerged in the Noroeste, from Bauru, and even wore the Palmeiras shirt in 2014, after a quick spell in Germany, considers himself a “new creature”.
To get to this stage, however, he took a lot of beatings (some in the literal sense of the word).
Born in a peripheral neighborhood of Bauru, in the interior of São Paulo, França did not know how to live with the fame of playing for a big club. At the age of 22, he was loaned by Hannover, Germany, to Palmeiras, and what was supposed to be the consolidation of his career, turned into a decline.
– People who are players and come from a city, a peripheral neighborhood and don’t have a family structure behind them, when they start pursuing a career in football and earning money, things change. Thinking begins to change, life changes. I think what got in my way was success, fame, money. I didn’t know how to deal with all of this – said França in an interview with ge.
After a discreet start at Verdão, the midfielder gained the trust of coach Gilson Kleina. In his fourth match with the club’s shirt, he scored his first (and only) goal. From then on, appearances as a starter were natural, and with him on the field, Palmeiras accumulated a sequence of four consecutive victories.
But France’s celebrations weren’t just limited to the field. He felt the need for more. And that’s when he lost control in some situations.
– (Alcohol) was a big problem in my life, and I think in many people’s lives too. I really had alcoholism. I drank a lot. This doesn’t fit with the life of an athlete. There’s no way you can drink and train, this ends up really hindering your career – he recalled.
Palmeiras presents reinforcements; France displays tattoos
Delays and absences from training, parties that disturbed neighbors in the Pompéia neighborhood, west of São Paulo, and friction with members of the technical committee and board of directors from Palmeiras made França’s trajectory at the club short. After six months and ten games played, he was loaned to Figueirense, who were in Série A of the 2014 Brasileirão.
It only took a month for França to experience problems at the new club. In Santa Catarina, the player was involved in a traffic accident, in which his car overturned. He did not comply with the recommendations given by Figueirense and was very close to having his contract terminated. An apology to the black and white board of directors made him continue.
After the incident, it seemed that França would change his stance and his career would bounce back. In the following six months, he was not involved in off-field controversies, and his good games led the Santa Catarina club to sign him permanently for 2015. But in February, a disturbance in a nightclub made everything go back to square one.
– I had a day off at Figueirense, I was with friends at home and we went clubbing. My friends ended up having a fight with other people, and when I left the police were already there. In a very ugly way, they caught me wanting to make me feel ashamed, because I hadn’t done anything. I went to get my car and they asked me to put my hand on my head, and I said I wouldn’t because I wasn’t a criminal, no criminal – he said.
France gets involved in confusion, takes a rubber bullet and is detained by the PM
– It was something I didn’t understand and I wasn’t going to put my hand on my head, because I’m not a criminal. In this one, they said that if I took one more step they would shoot. And they shot and all this happened. They said I disrespected them, and there’s even a video that shows everything. I think the police officers were fired for abuse of force – she added.
His reputation as a “bad boy” made França start traveling around Brazil in search of affirmation. After leaving Figueirense, he defended Londrina, Remo, Brusque, Boa Esporte, Inter de Limeira, Noroeste, Treze, Portuguesa Santista, Taubaté, Cascavel, União Cacoalense, Hope Internacional and Penapolense.
– Football is a lot of talk between clubs, so they talk to each other when signing. And if you’re not a good athlete where you are, in the next transfer or in a search, the references won’t be good. And I saw that happen a lot. Anyway… That’s the past, today is a new life, a new France, a new creature…
During the interview lasting more than 40 minutes, França made a point of reiterating that he is currently living a new life and that the controversies and confusion are in the past. About seven years ago, he found religion as a way to distance himself from alcohol and nightlife.
– At Boa Esporte I still had this drinking problem and my wife, Ingrid, came home, talked to me very seriously and said that if I didn’t change she would leave with my daughter. Today I have three children, at that moment it was just Laura. That day I said I was going to change my life, because I couldn’t lose my family, my daughter. From that day on I didn’t drink anymore, I started my walk with Christ and thank God I still do today. I am very grateful to my wife – she reported.
At 33 years old and living in Rondônia, França says he doesn’t regret what he did, because he understands that if it weren’t for all the mistakes, today he wouldn’t have the family life he has or the belief in religion.
Defending the colors of União Cacoalense, he appears happy and with a living dream of returning to defend a club with the greatest expression in Brazilian football.
– Today I feel fulfilled, happy for everything I’ve been through. In a way, it serves as a testimony, new boys who are arriving now. Happy because God has provided me with many things. I dream of playing in Series B, C or even A in Paulistão. But I understand the moment now and I’m sure that at some point God will start to move things – he said.
– I was just a player for a good part of my career. Today the athlete takes care of himself, food, sleep, he is always 100% in training. And that ballerão, who only wants the night… I’ve already had that experience. Most of my life I was just a player. I earned a very good salary and I thought playing was something and I had to live my life. Today football has no space for that. Today you are either an athlete or you can’t play anymore – he added.
Today there are also memories of having played alongside Valdivia, who he considers to be the greatest player he played with, and of having worn the shirt of one of the greatest national champions and the regret of not having had a better mentality at the height of his career.
– Maybe if I had the mindset I have today, I would still be there (at Palmeiras).
The start of the year for France has been productive. After 14 games and two goals for Penapolense, in Series A2 of the Campeonato Paulista, the midfielder played four more matches for the Campeonato Rondoniense.
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