With the smile on his face since last Sunday, when he won the Brazilian Championship title with Flamengo, midfielder Everton has another reason to celebrate this Friday. He will turn 21 and celebrate his "perfect year" alongside his greatest gift of the year: his son Guilherme.

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"They are different emotions, but both unforgettable. Just as I will forever remember the image of my son being born, I will never forget the moment I saw the referee blow the final whistle of the game against Grêmio and Flamengo become Brazilian champions. The year 2009 brought me so much happiness. I thank God every day for what he gave me that year," said the player.

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He only experienced moments of such joy at the end of 2006. Everton spent six months sidelined due to a serious back problem that nearly forced him to end his career prematurely. After extensive physical therapy, he recovered and returned to play for the Paraná youth team. At the beginning of the following year, he competed in the São Paulo Cup and was eventually promoted to the professional squad.

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"It was a really difficult time. I thought I would never play football again. Thank God I had the strength to overcome it and I turned it around. When I stepped onto the field for the first time after my recovery, it felt like I had been born again," he said.

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Everton's life story can be compared to Flamengo's campaign to win the Hexa. When everyone thought the team wouldn't have a great campaign, they surpassed themselves and reached the top of the standings. Even so, few considered them title contenders, but the players overcame obstacles and prevailed.

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"I was talking to my dad the other day, and he joked that Flamengo's history in this Brasileirão resembled mine when I had my back problem. No one believed the two of them could reach the top anymore, and that's what happened. I know I still have a lot of room to grow in my career, and I know that the pinnacle of any athlete is to be a world champion with their country's national team. Even so, for someone who's only 21 years old and came from a town of 5,000 people in the interior of Mato Grosso, winning the Brazilian Championship with Flamengo was unimaginable. Right now, I'm at the peak of my career," he concluded.

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