FA Cup Stars / Ralph Ellis / 31 December 2008 /

This week Betting.Betfair went to meet Bristol City's Brazilian goalkeeper Adriano Basso who'll be trying to knock holders Portsmouth out of the FA Cup.

So what does the FA Cup and a chance to play against the holders mean to a Brazilian?

Lots. We all know it's the opportunity for people to show themselves. Everybody, when they think of this kind of competition, gets excited because they know they can play against good teams.

We're always told by players from other countries that they grew up watching FA Cup finals on TV. Was it the same for you?

A bit, maybe. Not so much the FA Cup itself but I know about Wembley, the old Wembley. It was very famous, the twin towers. I didn't know so many clubs, maybe, just like Manchester United and Arsenal, and Liverpool, the big clubs. But I always had a dream to play in Europe although most of the football they were showing in Brazil then was from Italy or Spain. Now when I came here they show only English games back home so now in Brazil everybody knows about English football - even Bristol City when we were in the play-off final last year!

What about your FA Cup memories since you've been here?

I've never really had a big one - we played Middlesbrough last year at home and drew but that was about the biggest. Going to face the holders this year is about as good as it's got.

How do you rate your chances?

We know how much quality they have but we always go into any game believing in ourselves. We had a good Christmas with two wins so it's maybe just the right time for a match like this one.

What do you think of David James?

I don't know him as a person, I just know him as a goalkeeper and for me it will be a great experience to meet players like him. He's the outstanding goalkeeper in England in my opinion.

You had a terrific season last year going to Wembley and just missing out on promotion. How's this one been?

It's been good for me personally because I've kept 11 clean sheets in 20 games I think and I have done well, but of course you don't win anything alone and when you are talking about it you cannot be a success alone. As a team we face some challenges and difficult situations here, we've had many injuries, many situations we face. Other teams have got to know us better, so the games have definitely become more difficult for us this season.

Did not getting promotion have an effect on the team? You were so near but so far...

To be honest I think we got close but we were not good enough to go through. We must recognise that. We did a brilliant, amazing season, but if you want to get Premiership we must improve, so everyone else must understand that. The problem is many times in life you achieve something and you think you really are something, but then that's the problem. People look after you all the time, people talk about you so you start to think that you are something, but you are nothing. Every time you achieve something you must understand that you still have higher things to achieve, and be humble and keep your feet on the floor. I don't say the lads are not humble now, but I say that it has affected them sometimes and the bad results we got puts you down, and some of them maybe lose the confidence. Last season we got a lot of confidence every game, this season it's not happened quite the same yet.

You sound very determined to do well

I think it is a Brazilian attitude. One thing I put in my mind is: 'I don't leave my country to come here and go back as a loser' And I don't leave my country to come here and waste my time. I put my mind that every year I should achieve something because if I don't achieve anything one year, that's a waste of time. Many times we are in comfortable situation where you think I did well until now, but there is much more to do always. I think as a Brazilian we never think to be second, always looking to be first, always to win, always to be in the top. For you to have this kind of mentality you have to want to make something happen. Many times people wait for something and say'I'm going to see what happens'. No, I didn't come here to see what was going to happen, I came to make something happen. When you understand that you are responsible for your future. Nothing can stop you.

As a Brazilian you must be pleased to see Heurelho Gomes doing so much better now...

When you change form one country to another it is difficult. English football is completely different. People don't realise that, but when you leave this country again to go somewhere you see that. For a goalkeeper especially he has in his mind I think the pressure that he should go and get crosses well, every single cross he goes, he struggles a little bit because sometimes in England they block you and don't allow you to go free. If even somebody else touches you, the referee in other countries, especially in Brazil, gives a free kick straight away. Here they don't give a free kick at any time outside the small box. Every time he comes to the ball somebody touches him and he will miss the timing by just one or two seconds, and it's a problem.

Did you try to make contact with him?

To be honest I don't know him, but I'm very proud for his achievements now. For people like him born in Brazil - I think he was born in a difficult situation and has achieved so many things in his life - so that's something to respect. He's now started to show himself and he's going to be one of the best in England.

More and more goalkeepers seem to be coming here from Brazil...

Agents used to send DVDs to clubs to show them midfield players or strikers because they would get most money from them. Nobody was interested in selling goalkeepers. But because the clubs in Europe bought some players from watching films that were no good, they started sending people to watch games themselves. When they got there they saw some good goalkeepers so then started to bring them too. Now DVD doesn't work any more - too many times the director is Steven Spielberg but the player is no good! Now there are many Brazilian goalkeepers in Italy, Spain, here, and in Germany -and that's good.

Good luck at Portsmouth and we've a free £50 bet in aid of your favourite charity to say thanks for your time...

That can go to BRACE which is the official charity Bristol City are supporting this year. They do research into Alzheimer's - you can find out more on www.alzheimers-brace.org. As for my bet I think I will back Heurelho to win the Carling Cup with Tottenham at [2.92].

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