Gabriel Sara interview: Brazilian dreams, his dog named Zidane and Norwich facing Ipswich | Football News

It is little surprise that when you are chatting to a footballer raised in Sao Paulo, the conversation quickly turns to Brazil and the World Cup.

“My biggest dream has always been to play for Brazil at the World Cup. That’s why I play football now. I’ve dreamt of it every day since I was a kid,” Gabriel Sara tells Sky Sports.

“In Brazil, football is everything. It’s a religion.”

The Norwich midfielder, 25, is unfortunate in the fact that he is too young to remember his nation winning their last World Cup in 2002.

His first memories of the spectacle came four years later, when he was left with a lasting impression he wouldn’t have been expecting – watching on with his parents (whom he describes as his real idols) as a French genius ended Brazil’s and his own dream at the quarter-final stage.

“The most important player for me was Zinedine Zidane,” recalls Sara. “The first World Cup I remember was 2006, and we had an amazing team – Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Kaka. These guys were heroes to me, the best in the world, every kid in Brazil wanted to be like them.

“Then I remember that game where Zidane did everything in that game. He was so brilliant, and that stayed in my mind the whole time.

“For me, Zidane was the most magical player I’ve ever seen play. I have a dog in Brazil who lives with my parents, and I call him Zidane because of that.”

Sara is also a student of football past and present, understandably still influenced by the Brazilians at home and abroad.

It is, after all, a religion.

“I liked watching the team from the 2002 World Cup, also 1994 – I’ve watched every game of both,” he says.

“I grew up watching Neymar play at Santos, he was unbelievable. Then there is Rodrygo and Vini Jr at Real.

“Then Martinelli and Jesus at Arsenal. I love to watch these guys play and see how aggressive they are and how passionate they are for football.”

Even as a child, Sara always dreamt of coming to England and making his name.

He would watch the Premier League growing up, especially around this time of year as the Brazilian league ended but the game on these shores continued through the winter.

East Anglia and the south east coast of Brazil are very different places – with incredibly different climates – but football remains a common language in both.

“I always used to watch the Premier League over Christmas, because football in Brazil stops in December and we had nothing else to watch,” he says.

“The weather is amazing to me. I love to wear jackets, gloves, everything. It’s quite different to back home.

“I think I’m fully settled now. I’m happy to be here and my family are happy here.”

And with happiness has come the best form of Sara’s life as he adapts a slightly deeper role than he has been used to in the past.

Even though Norwich have struggled at times this season, he has mustered five goals and has started all 21 games.

“I still have a lot to grow and I know I can do better and improve, but I think I’m finding a good consistency,” he says.

“It’s quite different in this role for me because I have to do more things defensively. I’m still learning that. I always used to play as an eight or a No 10.

“But I like getting more of the ball, creating more chances, and I never have my back to a centre-back anymore.

“But I do feel like I’m too far from the goal sometimes, and I love scoring goals! But I can give assists. As long as I’m helping the team I’m happy with that.”

And Norwich will need Sara to be at his best ahead of a massive game on Saturday.

They head to Ipswich Town, their East Anglian rivals, who are flying near the top of the Championship.

It is the first time the clubs have met in nearly five years, and times have changed a lot since. Norwich are not used to looking up at their neighbours to the south, and they haven’t lost to them since 2009.

Sara hasn’t tasted the fixture yet, but after 18 months in Norfolk and with his history at Sao Paulo, he is more than prepared for what a derby means.

“I can’t wait for the atmosphere,” he says with a smile. “I’ve heard a lot about this game and I’m so excited for it.

“I’ve met a lot of fans in the city or after games, and they always talk about just how important it is.

“Derby games are so important everywhere. We have a saying in Brazil that, in the derby, you never draw, you never lose, you just win. That is our mindset for this game.

“So we know what we have to do, and we know how well we have to play, because Ipswich have had a great season so far.”

Sara is already a fan-favourite at Carrow Road, but a star turn on Saturday would see him nail down a permanent spot in club folklore.