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AFC Asian Cup: Hong Kong ‘best player’ Camargo hopes dazzling Qatar displays attract foreign suitors
- Everton Camargo aiming to add to four international goals when Hong Kong tackle Iran on Saturday
- Brazil-born forward reveals Fifa Manchester City-Paris Saint-Germain duels with teammate Juninho
Everton Camargo is aiming to capture the attention of scouts from outside Hong Kong with his performances at the Asian Cup in Qatar.
Head coach Jorn Andersen last week called Camargo “Hong Kong’s best footballer”, and the Brazil-born attacker’s thrusting display in Sunday’s opening defeat by the United Arab Emirates justified his billing, on the continent’s biggest stage.
Camargo, who is represented by Brazilian agency Lodi Assessoria Esportiva and has another two years to run on his current deal with Hong Kong Premier League side Lee Man, said he had been talking to a new agent.
“I do not know if I will move because of what happens at the Asian Cup, let’s see,” Camargo said. “But if a team in another country wants me … I have to see if it is good for me and my family, that is the most important thing. If it is OK, we can see.”
The 32-year-old was born in the tiny, southern Brazilian municipality of Soledade, where the only other notable football export is the former Barcelona midfielder Fabio Rochemback.
“My parents in Brazil watched the game against UAE, and told me afterwards they were so happy,” Camargo said. “I came from a small city in Brazil, where it is not easy to play football, and they are very proud.”
Fearing he would be swallowed up by the mass of quality footballers in his homeland, Camargo moved to Hong Kong in 2015, aiming to “become a professional player”.
He began to revise his ambitions after a prolific 2017-18 season with Yuen Long, following spells at Wong Tai Sin, and now defunct Biu Chun Glory Sky, saw him named in the Premier League team of the year.
“Then my dream became to play for the Hong Kong national team, now it is happening, and it is an amazing moment,” Camargo said. “This tournament is a big experience, and now it is my time to help Hong Kong and give everything for the team.”
Camargo had four seasons with Eastern, where he won the Hong Kong footballer of the year award for 2019-20.
He was the Premier League’s joint-top scorer, with 17, in his first season with Lee Man in 2022-23, and has another six for the current league leaders this term. He obtained his Hong Kong passport in August, and has four goals from six national team appearances.
Camargo said while his side’s next opponents Iran were “on another level”, if Hong Kong gave everything the city’s side were “capable of competing with any team”.
For Hong Kong to give the team ranked 21st in the world a game, they will need to sharpen up in the attacking third. They managed 16 shots from their 29 per cent possession share against the UAE, but only five of those troubled goalkeeper Khalid Eisa.
“We have to improve in the last part of the pitch, and turn chances into goals,” Camargo said. “Before the tournament, no one believed in Hong Kong, but we have shown we have very good players.
“We will have to run a lot, but everyone is ready, we will have the energy to give everything. In football, anything can happen.”
Camargo has been reunited on international duty with Juninho, his former Yuen Long teammate and another of Hong Kong’s four-strong Brazilian contingent. Juninho is yet to feature in the tournament because of a thigh injury, but Camargo said “he is feeling better and I hope he can help us soon”.
“I stay with him [as hotel roommates], we talk about everything, not just football, life, our families,” Camargo added.
“We watch the other matches together, to study the teams. And we play video games, Fortnite and Fifa. I play as Manchester City, he is PSG, but I cannot beat him. I keep losing.”
Everton Camargo is aiming to capture the attention of scouts from outside Hong Kong with his performances at the Asian Cup in Qatar.
Head coach Jorn Andersen last week called Camargo “Hong Kong’s best footballer”, and the Brazil-born attacker’s thrusting display in Sunday’s opening defeat by the United Arab Emirates justified his billing, on the continent’s biggest stage.
Camargo, who is represented by Brazilian agency Lodi Assessoria Esportiva and has another two years to run on his current deal with Hong Kong Premier League side Lee Man, said he had been talking to a new agent.
“I do not know if I will move because of what happens at the Asian Cup, let’s see,” Camargo said. “But if a team in another country wants me … I have to see if it is good for me and my family, that is the most important thing. If it is OK, we can see.”
The 32-year-old was born in the tiny, southern Brazilian municipality of Soledade, where the only other notable football export is the former Barcelona midfielder Fabio Rochemback.
“My parents in Brazil watched the game against UAE, and told me afterwards they were so happy,” Camargo said. “I came from a small city in Brazil, where it is not easy to play football, and they are very proud.”
Fearing he would be swallowed up by the mass of quality footballers in his homeland, Camargo moved to Hong Kong in 2015, aiming to “become a professional player”.
He began to revise his ambitions after a prolific 2017-18 season with Yuen Long, following spells at Wong Tai Sin, and now defunct Biu Chun Glory Sky, saw him named in the Premier League team of the year.
“Then my dream became to play for the Hong Kong national team, now it is happening, and it is an amazing moment,” Camargo said. “This tournament is a big experience, and now it is my time to help Hong Kong and give everything for the team.”
Camargo had four seasons with Eastern, where he won the Hong Kong footballer of the year award for 2019-20.
He was the Premier League’s joint-top scorer, with 17, in his first season with Lee Man in 2022-23, and has another six for the current league leaders this term. He obtained his Hong Kong passport in August, and has four goals from six national team appearances.
Camargo said while his side’s next opponents Iran were “on another level”, if Hong Kong gave everything the city’s side were “capable of competing with any team”.
For Hong Kong to give the team ranked 21st in the world a game, they will need to sharpen up in the attacking third. They managed 16 shots from their 29 per cent possession share against the UAE, but only five of those troubled goalkeeper Khalid Eisa.
“We have to improve in the last part of the pitch, and turn chances into goals,” Camargo said. “Before the tournament, no one believed in Hong Kong, but we have shown we have very good players.
“We will have to run a lot, but everyone is ready, we will have the energy to give everything. In football, anything can happen.”
Camargo has been reunited on international duty with Juninho, his former Yuen Long teammate and another of Hong Kong’s four-strong Brazilian contingent. Juninho is yet to feature in the tournament because of a thigh injury, but Camargo said “he is feeling better and I hope he can help us soon”.
“I stay with him [as hotel roommates], we talk about everything, not just football, life, our families,” Camargo added.
“We watch the other matches together, to study the teams. And we play video games, Fortnite and Fifa. I play as Manchester City, he is PSG, but I cannot beat him. I keep losing.”