EXCLUSIVE: Shakhtar Donetsk's Alisson on Champions League, representing Brazil & more

Alisson was transferred by Atletico-MG in March 2025 for €14 million (R$88 million at the exchange rate at the time), fulfilling his dream of playing in Europe.

Alisson saw his hopes of a call-up confirmed after an interview with Flashscore

At Shakhtar, he has several Brazilian teammates who helped him considerably with the adaptation process. The most important of them is forward Pedrinho, who also played for Atletico-MG. Alisson is enjoying a strong spell with the Ukrainian side, which brought him onto the radar of Carlo Ancelotti, the Brazilian coach.

In this exclusive interview, he discusses what he has learned on and off the pitch and says that the tensions many people might imagine, given that he lives in a country at war, are not actually that great.

Flashscore: We imagine a period of adaptation is inevitable in a place as different as Ukraine, right?

Alisson: "The climate and language were genuinely a little different, but on the pitch I found it very easy to adapt. Shakhtar already has a reputation for having a lot of Brazilians, and that helped me a lot. I admit that the cold here is a bit difficult, but it is a good place to live, and I feel very comfortable here."

Did you know any of the Brazilians who play there?

"I only knew Pedrinho, who played for Atletico, as well as Kaua Elias. They all welcomed me very warmly, embraced me and made it easy to build a friendship with them."

Did anyone help you more during your early days in Ukraine?

"Pedrinho was like a father to me here. There were even times when he paid for things because I did not yet have a credit card. He helped me a lot. My English is better than his, though (laughs).

He was one of the main people who helped me on the pitch, always showing me shortcuts. He was also one of the main people helping me settle in here."

In what areas has your game improved since you arrived?

"I think I have improved a lot already. Of course, I am still very young and have plenty of room to develop. I believe I am improving gradually. One thing I am learning, and that has made a big difference to my game, is being more purposeful.

"My game used to be very open; I would receive the ball and try to show my skills. Now I try to be more purposeful and more direct in my efforts to score and provide assists. That was one of the things Pedrinho told me.

"I have improved particularly against Champions League teams. I have noticed a big difference in my purposefulness, in attacking space and taking on the full-back."

Carlo Ancelotti, the Brazil coach, is beginning a new cycle with the national team, calling up players with potential and many who are little known. Alongside your strong form, does that give you hope of being noticed?

"It is my childhood dream. I have this goal in mind, and I think I am on the right path. I need to perform well for my club. The exposure from the Champions League helps, and I have been doing my job well on the pitch. I know the competition is fierce, but I believe I will achieve this objective. I have already been part of Brazil's youth teams, so I know what it is like to be at Granja Comary.

"I was thinking about this new cycle the other day. If I am called up, many people will not know me, so I will arrive as a surprise. The changes Ancelotti has been making motivate me, and I feel this achievement is getting closer and closer.

"This new cycle is a source of happiness for me and for the other Brazilians at the club, who also have a lot of potential."

This season, you made the first Champions League appearances of your career. What was it like to experience the competition?

"When we step onto the pitch, we have to forget about those things. But during Champions League week, I get very anxious and just want matchday to arrive. All sorts of images run through our minds - the memories, everything we went through to get here.

"It is important because it shows that all the sacrifice has been worth it. To reach a place I had only seen on TV, to be there and feel that atmosphere, is a great feeling."

Can you share a particularly memorable moment from the start of your career?

"I went through a lot of hardship and came from a very humble family. But I did not feel how difficult things were or the pressure of everything that was happening. I was just a child who wanted to play and have fun. There was a period when I did not have football boots to play in.

"I would sit on the substitutes' bench and wait for someone from the youth team to leave the pitch so they could lend me their boots and I could train. I left home very young, did not have a mobile phone and could not speak to my family. I spent a long time without talking to them.

"There are many stories I could tell, but I do not remember how big a deal they were. To me, it was normal. I did not feel the pressure or worry about it. The process was very good; I was never rejected. I was always embraced everywhere I went. Financially, though, I went through a lot of hardship. But, thanks to God, things happened in the right way and at the right time, and everything is fine today."

There is one unavoidable subject: the war between Ukraine and Russia. Have you become accustomed to life in a country at war?

"Since I arrived, I have not experienced the apocalyptic situation many people imagine. There have been times when I have heard sirens in Kyiv and heard attacks.

"During the day, you go out into the street, and everything seems normal. But at a certain time, everyone shuts themselves away. The situation that affected me most was when we went to play in Kyiv. After the match, we went to a nearby area that had been attacked.

"A missile had struck there, leaving a gigantic crater in the ground. The surrounding houses were riddled with holes. We went to a square filled with photos of children and people who had died there. There was a minute of silence, and it was very moving. That was my closest contact with the war."