Ricardo Nascimento. Photo: Twitter

Ricardo Nascimento. Photo: Twitter

Royal AM defender Nascimento on how he left Mamelodi Sundowns

Royal AM veteran defender Ricardo Nascimento has opened up about his shock departure from Mamelodi Sundowns in January 2022.

Ricardo Nascimento. Photo: Twitter

Ricardo Nascimento. Photo: Twitter

Royal AM veteran defender Ricardo Nascimento has opened up about his shock departure from Mamelodi Sundowns in January 2022.

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Nascimento, 35, was released soon after the arrival of Erwin Saavreda as Sundowns needed to free up their foreign quota.

Sundowns initially suggested that Nascimento retire from professional football and take up a role within the club.

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However, that wasn’t the only option given to him by Sundowns as the player himself spoke about the club’s suggestion that he goes back to Brazil and return in July.

What this means is that Nascimento would have been deregistered by Sundowns for a period of six months and be brought back at the end of the season.

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Nascimento said he couldn’t agree to that because he was against the idea of not playing football for that long.

Nascimento Sundowns
Ricardo Nascimento. Photo: ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

NASCIMENTO SPILLS THE BEANS ON MAMELODI SUNDOWNS DEPARTURE

“Sundowns had too many foreign players and my contract was ending in June,” Nascimento told Daily Sun.

“However, they had an option to renew. They had two options, it was to stop training with them in January, and go to Brazil and come back in July.

“That wasn’t good for me not to play for six months. Then I said, it was better we cancel the contract, and that’s why I am here,” concluded Nascimento.

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