Maidstone's FA Cup hero once played with Chelsea flop Oscar for Brazilian national side
Maidstone United’s FA Cup hero Lucas Covolan once played with ex-Chelsea man Oscar for the Brazilian national team after impressing alongside Philippe Coutinho
Maidstone United’s goalkeeper and FA Cup hero Lucas Covolan once played with former Chelsea midfielder Oscar for Brazil.
Covolan has had a rollercoaster career, from being one of the future stars of the Selecao to suffering a mental health nightmare. The 32-year-old certainly enjoyed one of his all-time highs in Maidstone’s historic 2-1 FA Cup fourth round win away at Ipswich Town on Saturday.
The Brazilian was nothing short of sensational between the sticks for the National League South side as they made history by becoming the first team from the sixth-tier of English football to reach the FA Cup fifth round since 1978.
READ MORE: Sixth-tier Maidstone shock Championship Ipswich in FA Cup and produce ‘boss’ celebrations
READ MORE: 'I was a BT engineer for 19 years – I quit so that I could manage Notts County in EFL'
Covolan’s career began in Brazil where he was called up to the national team’s U20 side after earning his place playing against Philippe Coutinho and Allan in the youth team at Vasco da Gama. He went on to earn two caps at U20 level, where he played alongside former Chelsea flop Oscar.
Reflecting on his journey in his homeland, he told The Guardian: “It was like a dream come true. Oscar [later of Chelsea] played in that Under-20s team – he was unbelievable. Everyone knew he was going to be a star. One time he arrived at training in a helicopter. We were like: ‘Oh my days!’”
What did you make of Lucas Covolan’s performance against Ipswich? Let us know in the comments section.
After leaving Brazil to join non-league Whitehawk in 2016, Covolan shot to fame in England after he scored a last-minute equaliser for Torquay United in the 2021 National League play-off final against Hartlepool United, which Torquay lost on penalties despite Covolan making two saves. His heroics saw him earn a move to Port Vale, though he struggled with his mental health during his spell.
He continued: "I felt like I needed to be perfect. I put so much pressure on myself that I was not enjoying football any more. I became depressed. I had everything at that moment. I am such a happy character, I love to make jokes, I dance, I laugh, I have Brazilian blood.
“I never thought depression would be something that I would experience. But I did, and it hit pretty hard. I’m not ashamed to say it now. I would go straight to bed after training, straight to the PlayStation. I didn’t talk to my partner at the time, my friends or family. It affected my performances, my body; that’s when I was being aggressive on the pitch.”
Covolan was sent off twice that season, including on his Football League debut and by January 2022 he’d lost his place in the team. “I got help from the PFA, from the club, talked to psychiatrists and psychologists,” Covolan added. “It changed my life. They are still helping me but I’m a different person now. I have breathing techniques, counting techniques. I know myself. I don’t want to wake up the monster.”
But Covolan’s Man of the Match display against Ipswich has seen his stock on the rise again, unable to hold back the tears, he told the BBC: "It means a lot. I just want to thank my whole family, wife and everybody supporting us. My career in the last few years was not very good and now all the bad part comes in my head and we produce this. It's unreal.
"It's a normal day at the office! I had a great game. I am so happy I could help my team-mates. We are in the hat again and hopefully I can get a move now to the Championship." What we have achieved is something unbelievable. To be in the last 16 teams in England, it's brilliant. We kept fighting until the end, bodies on the line and everything."