Ex West Ham Winger Bids Lazio Fans Farewell: 'I Will Always Carry You With Me'

Felipe Anderson looks back on his two memorable stints with Lazio as he prepares to play his final match for the club.

The Brazilian cemented himself as a fan favorite amongst the club’s supporters since his first spell between 2013 and 2018. Following an experience at West Ham United, the 30-year-old returned to the capital side in 2021, but his time at Formello is about to reach its end.

The winger has already agreed to join Palmeiras on a free transfer, so he will don the Biancocelesti jersey one last time this Sunday against Sassuolo in the final Serie A round of the season before making his return to his home country.

Anderson knows an emotional farewell awaits him, but he insists he will always carry the club and the supporters in his heart, as he revealed in an interview with the club’s social channels (via La Lazio Siamo Noi).

In these last months, I have had time to reflect, I have enjoyed everything and I have made this choice with my heart and my family. It’s difficult to say goodbye, a word I don’t want to ever say to Lazio and its people because I will always carry them in my heart.

Lazio is more than a club to me. I have experienced a bit of everything: beautiful, incredible and difficult moments. Then, above all, when I wasn’t playing regularly, Lazio took me back and put trust in me as if I had never left. This is something that is worth more than football, more than anything.

The Italian capital has given me and my family great affection. Italy is the most beautiful country in the world, the affection of the people struck us the most. The people here are very expressive, just like in Brazil. it was easy to make friends.

The Brazilian feels he is leaving an ambitious and ever-evolving club

I’m leaving an ambitious Lazio which grows more and more every year. You could see the desire in every training session. Even though this season hasn’t gone as well as previous one, there is always the desire to grow and compete at a high level. The club has changed a lot.

The winger then identified the funniest and toughest teammates he had at Lazio.

Bastos was the funniest. He made us all have fun by dancing and joking. The worst dressed? There are many, perhaps half of the squad. Who listens to weird music? Patric, but he’s good. He’s a DJ.

My toughest teammate in training was Lucas Leivea. He had so much confidence when he embarked on a duel or when taking the ball forward. He was direct and gave us a lot of clarity on the pitch. He was the strongest.”

I’d like thank Klose, who had given me a big hand when when I first arrived. Also the Brazilians, Hernanes and Ederson. They helped me with the language. I was also injured and in the first months, they gave me incredible strength with advice and trust. Luigi Sinibaldi was also incredible, he was always there for me

Anderson also tipped his young teammate Nicolo Rovella to become a pillar at the club, while revealing how Hernanes’ path had an influence on his career,

I rate Rovella very highly. For me he is one of the best. He is very young and he can make an incredible journey here.

Before joining Lazio, I saw that Hernanes was famous in Brazil and decided to join the club. He had his best career stint at Lazio, so I followed his path. Being able to join and play alongside him was an honor. He has also done many great things with the national team.