Prolongation, évolution et émotions : Lucas Beraldo se confie 💬

PSG - Paris Saint-Germain

Beraldo interview: Paris feels like home and the goal is to keep making history

In a club interview, Paris Saint-Germain defender Lucas Beraldo discusses his contract extension to 2031, his development in Paris, Luis Enrique's influence, his Champions League final penalty and the squad's mentality. He stresses a strong sense of belonging and gratitude while saying the team remain humble and hungry for more titles.

Lucas Beraldo se livre dans un entretien accordé aux médias du club. 💬 Sa prolongation jusqu’en 2031, son évolution depuis son arrivée à Paris, son nouveau rôle au milieu de terrain, son rapport à Luis Enrique, les émotions vécues en Ligue des champions et sa vie parisienne : le défenseur brésilien évoque les grands moments de ses premières années au Paris Saint-Germain et ses ambitions pour la suite. ❤️💙 SUBSCRIBE ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/psg FOLLOW PSG 🔴🔵 👨‍💻 Website: https://en.psg.fr/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/psg/ 📲 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@psg/ 🎥 Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/psg/ 🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/PSGEnglish/ 💻 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PSG/ 🤳 BeReal: https://t.co/0YF4ui5bnk 💬 WhatsApp: https://bit.ly/3RB3RVq 🔗 https://linktr.ee/PSG ABONNEZ-VOUS ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/psg SUIVEZ LE PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN 🔴🔵

Transcript

Lucas, I know you wanted to speak in Portuguese – for a very specific reason, in fact: so that you could express yourself better in this interview – but you speak French. Yes, I speak French. I can do the interview in French, but as you said, I prefer to speak in Portuguese, because there are lots of expressions I prefer to use. That’s why we’re going to do this interview in French. We appreciate your French, which is very good. Thank you, Lucas. Let’s get this interview started. First of all, speaking of your contract extension – you’ve extended it until 2031. What does that mean to you? For me, I think it means a great deal,not just to me, but to my whole family. And I think, first and foremost, I’d like to thank the chairman Nasser al-Khelaïfi, Luis Campos, Luis Enrique, all my team-mates and the whole club, because without them, I don’t think I’d have been able to get this far or secure this contract extension to stay at PSG for another five years. So, for me, it’s a huge joy to be able to carry on here, to be able to carry on in my second home, a place to which I – and my whole family – are already very much accustomed. So I must thank the whole club and everyone involved. When you arrived in January 2024 from São Paulo, did you ever imagine you’d experience all these incredible things you’ve been through? No. I think that when I arrived in 2024 from São Paulo, everything was very new; things were completely different – a massive club like Paris Saint-Germain, one of the biggest in Europe, so being able to represent these colours, this club, is something incredible, and I’ve been able to experience those two and a half, three years there, winning the Champions League twice, winning so many other titles that we’ve managed to secure, and constantly improving. I think it’s incredible. What made you want to extend your contract today, to commit to the long term with Paris Saint-Germain? I think that my whole life here in Paris, the club has been like a family. I feel very much at home here, not only with my team-mates, but also with the staff and everyone who works here at Paris Saint-Germain. I think they make me feel at home; they always welcome me, every day, always with a smile, always ready to help and keen to support us too. So, I think all of that plays a fundamental role in enabling me to renew my commitment and carry on here at Paris Saint-Germain. And what has changed in you between the Lucas of 2024 and the one standing in front of me today? I think I’ve changed a lot, because when I arrived in 2024, everything was completely new. I was just a lad, I’d only just turned 20 and I’d arrived here, at one of Europe’s giants, ready to play in my first Champions League and to get more playing time straight away. I think a lot happened over there in 2024 and the opportunity for development was incredible. And speaking of your development, in what areas did you feel you made the most progress – tactically, technically and mentally as well? I think there are three fundamental pillars to my development here at the club, but technically, it’s been a massive step forward and I really believe in it. That’s why the manager has given me a bit more of a prominent role, putting me in midfield now so I can help out, so I can show even more of my footballing ability, what I’m capable of, and what I can do to help the team. And that’s where I feel most comfortable and where I’m performing really well. You mentioned that versatility earlier – the way the coach uses you. What exactly has this versatility taught you about yourself and your game? I think it’s always important to be able to play several roles, because we’ll be spending more and more time on the pitch, playing and enjoying ourselves. I think that whatever role I play – whether it’s as a defender, midfielder or left-back, I think the most important thing is being able tohelp the team, to give my very best for the club and to show my gratitude on the pitch for the opportunities the manager has given me and for the fact that my team-mates have helped me. And speaking of which, given how demanding training sessions are at Paris Saint-Germain, what did you find difficult when you first arrived that now feels much more natural to you ? I think the intensity of the matches, the training, and the quality we have here in every player, individually – we’re here with the best players in the world, at the best club in the world. So I think there’s a lot to learn; these are things you get used to over time, and now they come much more naturally – things like technical and tactical aspects and, I think, more broadly, a whole range of elements that are part of football. Let’s talk a bit about your manager, Luis Enrique. I know he means a great deal to you. What influence has he had on your development, on seeing you grow as a player? I think I just have to thank him for giving me the opportunity and for supporting me – taking me under his wing, so to speak. For allowing me to develop and for being able to talk to him. The areas where I need to improve and the aspects where I still have room for progress. But looking at this development, both technically and tactically, I think I’ve come on a lot in every aspect of the game. Mentally too, because I believe that as well as everything he teaches us as players on the pitch, he teaches us a great deal off the pitch about life, about how to live, about how to make the most of every moment, of everything that happens on the pitch, in training, and on away trips. I think that’s the fundamental aspect that touches me most about Luis Enrique. We were talking about Luis Enrique and how he’s changed things for you too, and I get the feeling, ultimately, that he helps you understand the game differently. Have you felt that he’s changed the way you see the game, the way you understand it? Yes, I think he always looks at the bigger picture. So I’ve learnt a great deal from him in every aspect of the game, whether it’s attack, defence, or knowing when to push forward and when to sit back a bit more. So I think he’s taught each and every one of us players the way he wants us to play, the way he wants us to feel on the pitch. And I think that over the years, we’ve been able to seehownaturally things have unfolded in games and matches, and as a result, we’ve managed to win some major titles. Let’s carry on, and this time with some of your memories of Paris Saint-Germain. We wanted to look back at three different moments. The first is when you arrived at the Parc des Princes for the first time in 2019. I can’t even believe it. That all my idols – the people we see on the telly, the ones we see in video games – were playing right there in front of us. And four or five years later, to be able to wear this Paris Saint-Germain shirt is incredible. I don’t even think I have the words to describe that moment. A few years later, you’ll be wearing that shirt. That evening, a little thought crossed your mind: “I could really see myself playing there.” I thought the crowd was incredible, the atmosphere at that match. And I was really impressed by it, because it was the first match, the first time I’d gone to the stadium to watch a big team like that play. So I think I was impressed by the Paris Saint-Germain supporters and, of course, it crossed my mind that one day I might reach that level. And perhaps that’s what brings us to this emotional moment as well. In February 2024, your first Champions League match in the round of 16 against Real Sociedad. What was going through your mind? I think it’s a boy’s dream come true. And I think that smile represents a big part of my story – always being able to make the most of things, always smiling, always enjoying and appreciating the moment, being right here in the present. So I think that moment was unique – I was able to enjoy it 100 per cent, to be fully present in that moment. And I think it’s a moment I look back on today and feel proud to have been able to experience it like that. I hope to experience many more moments like that in the years to come. We could sense that you were fully engaged, and that’s part of the athlete you are, the footballer you are. Making the most of the present moment. I think that’s the key, not just for Lucas Beraldo the player, but also for my outlook on life, the way I live – always in the present, always making the most of every moment, as we don’t know what tomorrow will bring, the things that happen are always about living, making the most of every moment, making the most of every training session, every trip we take together with our team-mates. So I think that’s the key to life for me: making the most of and being able to enjoy the present moment. That maturity you have, that intelligence – it’s going to serve us well at a particular moment. It was that penalty in the final. But you stayed calm and scored an extremely important penalty. It was the last one for Paris. Can you tell us about that moment? How did you experience it? I think I saw it as an opportunity. If he put me on, it’s because he has faith in me. And not just that. I think he trusts me to give my very best and to rise to the occasion. So there, at that moment, I had the ball and I don’t think I felt any fear – nothing went wrong. I think that gave me the confidence to be there, to make the most of that moment, because I knew it was a Champions League final, a penalty. It was a very important moment; I was very happy to be there. So I think I rose to the occasion. I managed to make the most of it out there, because Itoldmyself I was going to give it my all, regardless of whether the keeper saved the penalty or not. From there on, it’s a different story. You’ve also got to give credit to the goalkeeper. But if I do my best, think I’ve got a much better chance of scoring the goal rather than playing with fear and holding back. So I think I felt really good at that moment and was able to savour it in a unique way. To wrap up this part of the final, when did you realise what had just happened? I think it was an incredible moment in our lives. I think that for all the players here at Paris Saint-Germain, and for the club itself, being able to win these two consecutive finals – these two consecutive Champions Leagues – and now being able to play in a third, means we can aim for another title. So I think that’s our priority: no matter how many we win, we want to keep performing at this level. We want to keep winning titles. I think that’s the most important thing when you wear this club’s shirt. Is winning it in this way? Twice? How does that change the way we see ourselves as a team? I think that as a team, we’re becoming even stronger, we’re even more united, and we want to achieve even more. We want to go in search of another title, because we know it’s not easy – there are lots of matches and plenty of very strong opponents this season, which can make life difficult for us, but we know what we have to do and everything the manager will ask of us on the pitch. But we still don’t see it as pressure; it’s a privilege to have been champions twice in a row and to be able to go in search of a third. So, to keep making history at this club, I think it’s important to stay humble. We’re keeping our feet on the ground so we can carry on, go in search of that third title and continue to make history. What characterises this squad in its day-to-day life from the inside, which many don’t see from the outside? I think it’s the joy of being here. Everyone is very happy to be part of this team, to be able to train every day. Everyone’s always smiling, enjoying not only the matches and the big trips, but also training – the simple things we experience every day. We make the most of it in a unique way, always united, always playing. Not everyone does that. I think it’s this positive mindset that prevails here and that is the strength of our squad. We always remain humble. Everyone is united, everyone supports one another, no matter who’s on the pitch. Even those who start on the bench. I think that’s the team’s main strength, and Luis Enrique is very good at fostering that spirit. From a personal point of view, at 22, you’ve achieved a great deal. What do you still have left to achieve? What are you keen to go on and achieve? I think the aim is to win it all again and set out to win the Champions League once more. To be even better this season, to be able to win even more titles here in this shirt. I think that when you win, you get used to winning. So you’re always trying to win more; you want more, you want more. I think I’m at the right club for that, because Paris Saint-Germain’s ambition is always to want more and more. I think the club’s vision suits me very well, as it does all the players here. And is there any area where you’d still like to improve? I think this new role will help me grow and allow me to keep improving. There’s a lot to learn from all my team-mates here, within the club, from everyone. So I think this is a season that will allow me to develop and establish myself firmly in the defensive midfield role. And Lucas, I know you’ve become a bit of a Parisian after all, Do you really feel like a Parisian now ? These days, I feel like a proper Parisian. As you said, I think I feel very much at home here; with the weather, and the fact that I speak French very well, I think it helps me a lot to feel at home. I can communicate with everyone just as I’d hoped. The most important thing for me is that my family also feels at home here, that they’re by my side and that they too can enjoy this moment to the full. I think everything has fallen into place perfectly: the club, the city and my family. So we feel really at home here every single moment. And finally, Lucas, is there anything particularly ‘French’ you’re doing today? I’m making the most of life here. I can go out more and spend more time with my wife. Here, we have slightly fewer matches than in Brazil, so we feel we can enjoy life in a different, more relaxed way. I’m not sure how much of this stems from the mindset I have now, which in turn came from the different mindset I had in São Paulo. So I think I’m able to live life to the full these days, savouring every moment and this wonderful city. It’s true that it’s very Parisian and very French. Thank you very much, Lucas. Thank you.