On loan at Braga this season, Gabriel Moscardo spoke to Terra, as reported by L’Equipe, about a significant episode in his young career, which occurred just before he signed with Paris Saint-Germain. An anomaly detected in his foot during medical examinations had initially raised serious concerns. This rare account sheds light on the extreme pressure surrounding high-level transfers.
“They thought it was cancer”
“The doctors discovered an anomaly in my foot after an MRI and suspected a tumor. When the doctors saw it, they thought it was cancer. It was a terrible shock for us. Fortunately, a series of further tests allayed the fears, as it turned out to be just a bone fragility. Paris was then able to finalize the deal for approximately €20 million. “
In a world of football where every medical detail can tip the scales in a transfer, Gabriel Moscardo’s future briefly hung in the balance, dependent on an MRI. The examination, carried out as part of the tests preceding his signing with Paris Saint-Germain, revealed a worrying anomaly in his foot, to the point that doctors raised the possibility of cancer. The Brazilian midfielder describes it as a brutal, almost surreal shock, just when his career seemed to be taking a major turn.
A battery of further tests followed, experienced as an interminable wait, before the final diagnosis came: no tumor, but simply a bone fragility. The agreement between Paris and his club was then finalized for around 20 million euros. This episode serves as a reminder of how, behind the financial sums and sporting projections, players remain exposed to immense, often invisible, psychological pressure.
This account also highlights a rarely discussed reality: for young players, signing a contract is not simply about a deal or a sporting project.” It is accompanied by intrusive examinations, colossal financial stakes and a deep-seated fear of seeing everything collapse in a few hours, far from the spotlight.
