Bebeto’s baby Mattheus Oliveira now chasing success at UAE’s Al-Nasr

LONDON: There is nothing atypical about a father going to watch his son play football, even when it is thousands of kilometers from home. What is a little more unusual, however, is when the team is Khor Fakkan and the father is one of the greatest Brazilian players of all time.

In early January, the 7,500-capacity Saqr bin Mohammad Al-Qassimi Stadium hosted Bebeto, whose glittering 20-year career included star turns on the pitches of iconic grounds such as the Maracana, Camp Nou and the Bernabeu.

The legendary Brazilian striker was in town to watch his son Mattheus Oliviera, who put in his best display yet for Khor Fakkan — setting up two goals in a 5-2 victory over Baniyas.

Mattheus, in his first season in the UAE Pro League, has since joined Al-Nasr — making a switch this week that sees him trade a relegation battle for a fight for third place and a spot in the AFC Champions League 2 group stage.

The winger ended nearly a decade-long spell in Portuguese football to move to the UAE last summer.

“It is completely new for me but I’m liking the football here so far,” Mattheus told Arab News in an exclusive interview. “It’s difficult with the heat but I am enjoying how different it is and the people are very warm here in the UAE.”

Mattheus’ decision to swap Portugal for the Gulf came after he sought advice from his brother-in-law Carlos Eduardo.

The midfielder was an influential player for Al-Hilal, Shabab Al-Ahli and Al-Ahli Jeddah before returning to Brazil, where he won a historic Copa Libertadores title with Botafogo last November.

“I spoke with him a lot when I was in Brazil last summer,” Mattheus revealed. “I wanted to know about the country, the league and of course the culture.

“He said a lot of good