Remember Giulia? Coach joins Sport with his daughter's blessing 🥰

Sport officially announced this Thursday (25) in Natal the hiring of coach Roger Silva.

The former center forward, now 40 years old, returns to the club for which he played twice as an athlete, in 2008 and 2013. 

And with two consecutive promotions to Série B, leading Athletic and Londrina. 

A return that had his daughter's blessing.

Blind since birth, Giulia drew attention at various moments during her father's career as a striker.

There was even a song whenever daddy Roger scored wearing the Leão jersey. 

This was highlighted by the Pernambuco club after the announcement.

"Hey there, Sport fans. I’ve grown up a little... But who remembers? Ai, ai ai, this is daddy’s goal! Yeah... now he’s coming back, but this time as a coach. For Sport, everything!", said Giulia in a video that can be watched here.

In 2017, she received a relief painting depicting moments from the goal scored by her father, who was playing for Botafogo at the time, against Sport.

It was an opportunity to "feel" the moment narrated by Luis Roberto.

A gift that came in the month of her 11th birthday. 

"I’m very happy to be able to feel a goal from my dad. I always follow the games and celebrate the goals on TV, even without knowing how they’re made. Do you understand what you’ve done? Guys, I never had this notion... I wanted to have this notion someday and you made it happen. Dad, the goal was beautiful! Wasn’t it? Now, I got it", she said in a report for ge. 

Giulia, known as "Tatá" to family and friends, was accepted into university entrance exams in November 2023, fulfilling her dream of studying psychology.

Another promotion on the horizon?

Roger Silva finished as runner-up in the last two Série C seasons, coaching Athletic (2024) and Londrina (2025).

His new mission will be to take Sport back to Série A. 

He was also coach of Inter de Limeira, Pouso Alegre, and Manaus. 

And he had a long career on the pitch. 

In addition to Ponte Preta, the club that developed him, and the already mentioned Sport and Botafogo, Roger played for São Paulo, Palmeiras, Al-Nassr (KSA), Fluminense, Vitória, Guarani, Kashiwa Reysol (JAP), Ceará, Athletico, Suwon Samsung Bluewings (KOR), Chapecoense, Bahia, Red Bull Brasil, Internacional, Corinthians, Operário, and Inter de Limeira.

His first stint as a player at Sport saw him win the Pernambuco State Championship and the Copa do Brasil in 2008.

He returned in 2013, finishing as runner-up in the State Championship and leaving the club during Série B to play for Athletico. 

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.