Arising Premier League star has been forced to put his Brazilian jiu-jitsu pursuits on hold following his $18.9 million transfer to Wolverhampton Wanderers. Joao Gomes, the 23-year-old midfielder who joined the English club from Brazilian giants Flamengo in January 2023, has been unable to continue his martial arts training due to safety concerns.
Gomes, who has achieved a blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, credits the sport for significantly improving his football performance. “Learning Brazilian jiu-jitsu has improved my football,” he stated to The Sun. “It’s helped a lot with my mobility and flexibility. Before I tried jiu-jitsu, I don’t think I had a lot of that. I used to have a lot of pain.”
The young footballer emphasizes that the martial art has enhanced his resistance to pain and overall conditioning. He also draws parallels between jiu-jitsu and top-level football, noting that both require mental agility as much as physical prowess.
However, since his move to England, Gomes has been unable to find a suitable training environment. “I haven’t joined a club here because I haven’t found anywhere yet that has a group of people I can trust,” he explained. “In order for me to practice it here, I need to be able to trust them. They need to be much better than me, for me to be sure that they know what they are doing.”
The midfielder’s primary concern is avoiding any potential injuries that could jeopardize his football career. “I can’t have them hurting me — because of my football career. I need to feel safe, to know I’m going to come off the floor in one piece,” Gomes added.
Despite this setback in his martial arts journey, Gomes remains focused on his primary goal of helping Wolverhampton Wanderers climb the Premier League table. The team currently sits at the bottom of the league and faces a challenging match against high-flying Liverpool.
Gomes believes that the mental strength he’s gained from jiu-jitsu will be crucial in the upcoming fixtures. “Our mentality matters a lot. We need to focus on what we can do to come out on top,” he stated.
