Luis Henrique: the Brazilian lighting up Marseille under Roberto De Zerbi

The young Brazilian forward has been sensational in Ligue 1 this season. Next step the Seleção and Premier League?. By Luke Entwistle for Get French Football News. When Luis Henrique signed for Botafogo three years ago, the club’s owner – who also owns Lyon – cracked a joke at his unveiling. “He spent a bit of time playing for a small, small team in France called Olympique de Marseille,” said the American businessman. “Those of you from Lyon, I hope you’ll enjoy the joke.” Lyon were not laughing last weekend, though. Henrique has returned to the Vélodrome and it was his late volleyed goal that gave Marseille a 3-2 win over their fierce rivals in the Choc des Olympiques.

It was Henrique’s ninth goal of the season, a remarkable achievement given he had only scored eight in his previous four seasons. The 23-year-old has racked up 15 goal contributions this season, which puts him among the top five most decisive Brazilians in Europe’s top five leagues, below Vinicius Junior, Raphinha, and Rodrygo, but above internationals such as Gabriel Martinelli and João Pedro.

“To be among those players is important for me and my career,” says Henrique. “I am very happy about that. I want to keep at the top with those players. I watch them and I want to be like them too.” Does he think about a call-up to the Seleção so he can join them? “Of course, and I hope to get one. It is a dream. When the moment comes, I have to be ready.”. If he does make it, he will have taken the long road. Henrique joined Marseille from Botafogo in 2020 at the age of 18 but he failed to establish himself in France, scoring just one goal in 49 matches. He returned to Botafogo in the summer of 2022 on an 18-month loan. The Brazilian club were obliged to make the move permanent if he played 50% of their matches but he didn’t meet the required minutes. The loan deal that was supposed to resurrect his fledgling career failed, so he trudged back to France last January with his career at a crossroads.

Henrique was a rare bright spark in a difficult campaign for the club last season. Gennaro Gattuso’s time at the club was short and ill-fated, but the Italian did at least succeed where others failed: he began to unlock Henrique’s raw potential. “I never had doubts about succeeding at Marseille,” says Henrique. “I always just tried to stay fully focused. The moment came and I was ready for it.” The true moment was when Roberto De Zerbi arrived at the club last summer. The former Brighton manager has helped Henrique become one of the most exciting and efficient forwards in Ligue 1.

“I didn’t necessarily expect to have the start to the season that I’ve had but, with De Zerbi arriving and then having a great pre-season, that gave me a lot of confidence,” says Henrique, who says he has a “father-son relationship” with his manager. “He is like that with all the players – all of the players in the squad will tell you the same thing as me.” The arrival of Pierre-Emile Højbjerg from Tottenham has also been pivotal. “He is always talking to me, giving me confidence, telling me to be calm when playing and to be at ease. That helps me a lot.”.

Earlier in the season, Marseille struggled to be “at ease” in their own stadium, with certain players struggling to replicate their away performances at the Vélodrome. Henrique, who has four goals at home this season, was something of an exception to the rule. Results have picked up recently, though, with Marseille unbeaten at home since early November. “It is a stadium with an intense atmosphere,” says Henrique. “The fans have high expectations. At the start, it was hard for the players to adapt. Now, we have managed to reverse the trend. I managed to use this pressure in a positive way. I have changed my mentality when I step on the pitch and use it as a strength. I’ve always wanted to make the fans proud and light up the stadium.”.

Marseille are clear favourites to finish second in Ligue 1 and return to the Champions League. That is the bare minimum for Henrique. “We have to be there. It is a famous club that should be at the highest level.” Marseille are 10 points behind league leaders PSG, but Henrique is not throwing in the towel yet. “We will go after the Champions League and after the title too, if it is possible. We will try to win the league and we have to believe until the end. PSG are big favourites but they have lost matches too.”.

Henrique says playing in the Champions League would also be “important for his career”. He hopes to do it with Marseille, with whom he is under contract until 2028, but his rise has attracted attention from Premier League sides. “I’m in the moment at Marseille and my head is here,” he says. “I love being with the club and being at a top level, and that’s what I’m thinking about. After that, we’ll see; I have personal dreams.”.