A player does not reach hero status in football through trophies alone. Having been a key figure of Botafogo sides when times were hard, ex-goalkeeper Jefferson is revered by the club’s fans for his countless saves, and for an unusual decision. It might be hard to believe given their recent CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores success, which secured the Glorioso’s place at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™, but Jefferson – who was frequently called up to Seleção squads during in his time at the club – turned down offers and chose to stay at Botafogo in the second tier of Brazilian domestic football.
He played for a few clubs over his career, but Jefferson is still third on the all-time list of Botafogo appearance-makers with 457 – the last of them in 2018. He is beaten on that list only by the two biggest names in the club’s history: Nilton Santos and Mane Garrincha.
“I always say that people shouldn’t treat Botafogo as a stepping stone,” said Jefferson in an interview with FIFA. “Botafogo is a massive club. You really need to create a bond, a history.”
Botafogo may be competing at a global competition this month, but 15 years ago, a state championship was the pinnacle of Jefferson’s career. In 2010, Botafogo – the only team to win four consecutive titles in Rio – were coming off the back of three defeats in finals against their arch-rivals CR Flamengo. It was the fourth consecutive final between the two sides, with Flamengo having won the Brazilian Série A title just four months earlier. Botafogo’s win on that day is remembered for two penalties: Sebastian ‘Loco’ Abreu’s ‘Panenka’ spot kick and Jefferson keeping out Adriano’s attempt.
The Botafogo icon, who now lives in the USA, proudly looked back at the club’s history and assessed their chances in the Club World Cup.
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Jefferson: The impact of this Club World Cup coming to the USA has been very positive. The people here like football, there’s a lot of cultural diversity. The tournament will bring a lot of visibility to the country.
Botafogo is a club that has fans spread all over the world. I was in the Brazilian national team for six years, and I travelled a lot and always came across Botafogo fans – there was always a [Botafogo] banner. It’s a club that’s admired even by their opponents. They’re the current Libertadores holders and they’re one of the clubs that have provided the most players for the national team. I played for Botafogo for more than ten years and I’m third on the list of appearances for the club, only behind Nilton Santos and Garrincha. I’m very proud of that.
It’s a big ask, but anything is possible. Botafogo leave nothing to chance. I believe in the team’s capability, especially in those moments when it really matters.
Botafogo thrive in tough moments. The team go through good and bad spells but, when it really matters, they show how strong they are – even when they’re a player down. We’ll go into the tournament treating every game like a final. I’m very confident in this Botafogo side and what they can do at the Club World Cup.
I often tell people that we did a lot of hard work that went unnoticed. Everyone at Botafogo around that time found it tough. We were being paid late, coaches came and went and there was a lack of structure at the club. I went to Botafogo and we had nowhere to train. We had to go and find other areas to train. But even then, we still gave it everything. I’m very proud to have been at Botafogo at that time. That’s why I value those players so much. They did it for the club, they weren’t thinking about their salaries. They understood the greatness of Botafogo.
That final [of the Rio State Championship] in 2010. The players were absolute warriors. I’m glad I got to experience that, but I’m also happy for the players of this current Botafogo side. There’s a different structure in place, things are completely different from the old Botafogo. That was a pivotal moment in 2010 because it stopped Flamengo winning their fourth final [in a row against Botafogo]. Even now the fans remember that, the fact that it was a state championship doesn’t make it any less memorable. You could see in the fans’ faces that we couldn’t afford to lose that final. That really stands out to me.
We speak to each other on social media. Nobody has a bad word to say about him. He’s very sensible off the pitch. He’s very focused, a family man. I’m really rooting for him, just as I was for Gatito [Fernandez, the Paraguayan who left Botafogo at the end of 2024]. Regardless of what we’ve done at Botafogo, they’re fellow professionals. Now it’s John’s turn to make history. And he’s already started to make history with those two big Botafogo titles. I hope he stays at Botafogo. I always say that people shouldn’t treat Botafogo as a stepping stone. Botafogo is a massive club. You really need to create a bond, a history. So, I hope John continues to shine. And hopefully one day soon we’ll get to see him in the Amarelinha, representing Botafogo with the Seleção.
