Former Marítimo winger Joel Santos has signed for Norwegian lower league club Sauherad IL. Nothing too strange there, you may think, given the frequency with which Portuguese footballers embark on careers abroad in the most unlikely of destinations.
But this is a transfer with a difference. Why? Because Santos has put pen to paper on a 5-year contract shorty before he turns 51 years old (next Monday 9 March).
How so? Well, the manner in which the player and the club got together in the first place is quite something in itself.
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Chance meeting leads to bigger things
Sauherad IL, who play in the sixth tier of the Norwegian football pyramid, held a training camp in their off-season in Madeira at the end of February. Sauherad manager Bjørn Skjeslien, who doubles up as the club’s media officer, takes up the story:
“Santos was watching our first training session on the sidelines. He did not look too impressed! Suddenly an erroneous pass went his way in the air. He stood completely still, watched the trajectory of the ball and controlled it perfectly with his left foot, then hit a perfect 100-metre pass back to the sender.
“Later I went down with him to the snack bar he is running in the basement of the Canicense training ground. Over a few beers and a brandy, I quickly found out he was a former top player. Half an hour later and plans for Joel to play for us were in motion. He made his debut and signed the papers the day after.
“From there, it kind of spiralled into bigger plans and games in Norway. There was a special kind of love between our players and Santos from the start. He made our players better straight away. He got very inspired and emotional himself.”
The Nordic club’s pre-season trip included friendly matches against Madeiran teams GRC Canicense, Choupana FC and AD Machico.
Regular during Marítimo’s glory years
Santos made his debut for the Norwegians in these matches played in the island of his birth, and where he played the entirety of his long professional football career.
At the height of his career Santos was a regular for Marítimo, playing in UEFA Cup and reaching the Portuguese Cup final, for example, during the most successful period in the club’s history at the turn of the century.
Two games, two goals and a viral star in Norway
Fast forward 25 years and Joel Santos is still able to show his prowess on the pitch. He scored a fantastic free kick in the first friendly against GRC Canicense. The goal was filmed and went viral on Norwegian media channels.
Not satisfied with the goal, Santos put in another impressive display in Sauherad’s final friendly in Madeira, scoring again in the 5-4 victory over AD Machico.
Santos will travel to Norway in May to join the team ahead of a series of important games. The club stated that it handed him a contract owing to his vast experience and his technical ability, which remains intact, and he will also play the role of a mentor in a young and ambitious squad.
“We are signing Joel Santos, before all else, because he continues to be a player of great quality, who will strengthen our squad,” said Sauherad IL president, Ole Petter Vogsland. “He will also be fundamental to guide a very young team and help them gain experience.”
Who are Sauherad IL?
The club was founded in 2019, after two teams from the area merged into one. It is based in a municipality 130 kilometres southwest of the capital Oslo, with a population of around 5000 people.
Currently in the sixth division of Norwegian football, the club has been growing fast in recent years, from top to bottom, thanks to intelligent recruitment and a solid local profile when it comes to signing players.
An innovative club, Sauherad IL tries to mix football with music and razzamatazz, making every game a big event for the fans, and it has proven a winning formula.
As an example, a big derby is scheduled against local rivals Nome on 16th May, in a match Santos is expected to play in. Norway’s national day is 17th May, which makes the 16th the biggest football day for Norwegians.
Nome are Sauherad’s main rivals for promotion and the match is forecast to draw a crowd of around 2500 people. Most other clubs in the 6th division in Norway have an attendance ranging from 20 to 90 people. Last year Sauherad’s lowest crowd was 350 spectators.
“Special connection”
“Hopefully Joel can play up to ten games a year for us,” said Bjørn Skjeslien. “There is a special connection between him and the team that we hope to keep it alive over the next few years.”
The football season kicks off in mid-April for Sauherad IL.
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Joel Santos interview with PortuGOAL
You had an excellent career. You played during Marítimo’s most successful era, including UEFA Cup matches and a Portuguese Cup final. What is your fondest memory of those times?
“It was an honour to represent the biggest club of the Portuguese islands, our great Marítimo, in the first division. I was enormously proud to play for them for 7 years, twice playing in the UEFA Cup, where we played Celtic and Leeds United. It was a memorable time, with seven Madeira-born players in the team at the time.”
You played with some fantastic players at Marítimo, such as Danny, Alan, Bruno Fernandes, Mitchel Van der Gaag, Kenedy, Briguel... Who was the best player you have played with, best you have played against?
“Yes, I coincided with top players. In my opinion perhaps the best was a Madeirense player with amazing technique and vision, Bruno (Marcelo Pereira Fernandes). It was also an honour to play against Cristiano Ronaldo, who was at Sporting at the time.”
You were born in Câmara de Lobos and played your whole career in Madeira. Did you ever think about moving to the mainland or abroad?
“I came through the youth ranks at Grupo Recreativo Estreito and Câmara de Lobos, which was my launchpad for the big time in professional football. There was talk of me joining Braga or Estrela da Amadora, but nothing was ever presented to me directly, so nothing came of it.”
Bjørn Skjeslien has explained to us how you came to play for Sauherad. Were you expecting to resume your career? What is your motivation to lace up your boots again?
“This all began when Sauherad used the facilities of the club Recreativo Cruzado Canicense and had some training sessions there. At my bar – the Sports Bar Canicense – they saw a picture on the wall with my photo of when I played for Marítimo in European competition. They asked who it was and I told them it was me, who used to be a Marítimo player.
“Then they asked me if I could play in their team and that’s when it all started. I played and by chance I scored a goal against the team I represented for 7 years, in the regional league. Everyone went crazy when I scored the free kick. The lads showed a lot of love to me in the celebrations and it was amazing seeing all those young lads smiling and happy. That went straight to my heart and will always stay in my memory. It was a unique and unforgettable moment.
“At the time I thought it was a joke when they talked about signing a contract. But it was serious and I hope to contribute with my experience, helping the boys achieve their goals for the club.
“I never thought it would be possible to get back on the pitch like this, but I hope to do a good job, with full commitment to the people of the club and I hope to help in all aspects. I’m looking forward to it and feel I can help the boys grow as footballers.
“They can count on me and they have seen what I can do in the two games we played. They know they can count on me. They don’t look at me because of my age. I felt the affection and I’m very grateful to everyone, especially my dear friend and great man who is Bjørn.
“I still don’t believe it’s true that at 50 years of age, married and with two grown-up children, that I’m going to play for a club outside of Portugal. It’s going to be a first for me, and at 50 years old!
“It shows that it’s never too late – you should always have hope that things can happen. God-willing, it’s going to happen. And it will be an honour to represent the club of the town. I hope I’m received well. I’m going to give everything to the club and the boys who are fantastic and deserve to be rewarded at the end of the season with promotion to the division above. I hope to help them. Força lads!”
Marítimo are in Liga II but are having an excellent season and are top of the league. Do you think they will get promoted back to the top flight this season?
“I never thought I’d see the club of my heart in this situation [Marítimo were relegated after 38 years in the top flight in 2022/23], but yes, they are having a very good season. They’ve got everything to get back into the big time in the Primeira Liga. But it’s too early to celebrate. We believe it will happen, yes, but in football everything is unpredictable. But I have faith that we’ll be celebrating the long-awaited return to the first division together.”
