DENILSON was once the most expensive footballer on the planet, but nowadays, he competes to be top of a very different kind of table.
The 2002 World Cup winner spent 20 years in the game before hanging up his boots in 2010 and now spends time playing poker as an ambassador for 888poker.
He competed in last year’s World Poker series in Las Vegas — and admits that even after playing in a World Cup final he was still a bag of nerves.
He told SunSport: “I’d been playing football for 20 years, so I can’t really compare it to the World Cup.
“But when I saw all the players in the hall and heard the theme music, I felt so nervous and anxious.
“Up until then, I’d only taken part in tournaments in Brazil and I didn’t feel too much pressure, but this was different.
“In Vegas, from the moment you arrive, you know it’s the real thing. They are the world’s best poker players.
“It’s like an all-star team and I was the first ambassador to make it to the second day.”
Denilson signed up with 888poker in March 2017 and he insists he sees it as reward for everything he did in his career.
He explained: “When you stop playing football, many people forget about what you achieved.
“So, to have 888 has been like a trophy for everything I have achieved in the game.”
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The Sun has teamed up with 888poker to give one lucky reader the chance to win $10million (£7.5million) in a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Las Vegas.
And Denilson insists this opportunity is too good to pass up. He added: “To go there for free and have the chance to qualify for other tournaments is unique.
“It is usually very expensive. If you have the chance play in a tournament for free, you have to take advantage of this opportunity.”
In the summer of 1998, Denilson became the world’s most expensive footballer when he joined Real Betis from Sao Paulo for £21.5million at the age of just 21.
And, despite all the glory that came with the tag, the Brazilian insists all he cared about was being able to buy his parents a new house.
He recalled: “I just wanted to move to Europe and to be able to buy a house for my parents.
“I only had a very small house and my dream was to make my parents’ dream come true, which was to buy a nice house.”
Despite moving to La Liga for such a huge outlay, Denilson struggled to justify the fee — and he believes Betis would have benefited by being a little more patient with him.
Asked what dealing with that kind of pressure at such a young age was like, he recalled: “You become a player the whole world wants to see play.
“So, when you go through a difficult period, the coverage is much bigger.
“But the club and the local media didn’t have enough patience. It took two years for me to adapt and for them to understand how I played.”
Denilson played in two World Cup finals for Brazil, suffering defeat in 1998 and tasting success four years later.
And he has backed the Samba stars to reign in Russia — though only because of the radical changes brought about by current boss Tite.
He told us: “Things improved when Tite took over. He has changed the atmosphere and positive results bring a calmness and confidence to the dressing room.
“And because of that, I think there is a really good chance Brazil can win the World Cup.”
Meanwhile, he believes England’s individual superstars need to take their form over a 38-game Premier League season and cram it into seven games in Russia.
And he also tells us which of Gareth Southgate’s 23-man reminds him most of himself.
When Denilson came close moving to the Premier League
DENILSON’S career saw him play in Brazil, Spain, France, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam and even Greece — but never England.
However, he did come close in January 2009, before the deal fell through at the 11th hour.
He tells us: “I trained with Bolton for a week, but I don’t know what happened.
“I trained well and the sporting director told me everything was fine, they even gave me a parking space and told me in the morning I would be a Bolton player.
“But, in the evening of the same day, they told me they couldn’t complete the deal because the manager [Gary Megson], signed someone else.
“He wanted a tall striker instead of me.”
Drawing back on his own experience, he explained: “England always will be one of the favourites with incredible individual talent, but from far away, it appears they struggle in a team environment.
“At their clubs, they shine, but together they cannot maintain the same level and in the World Cup this is vital because it’s just seven matches and there is no time for training.
“It’s game after game. You need to keep yourself mentally and physically sharp.
“I really like Raheem Sterling, who has had a brilliant season with Gabriel Jesus at Manchester City.
“He is fast and can dribble. He really reminds me of myself.”
ONLINE gaming giant, 888poker, has teamed up with The Sun to give one lucky reader the chance to take part in the most prestigious poker tournament in the world – and it won’t cost them a penny to enter.
Kicking-off tomorrow, we have organised an exclusive FREE-to-enter online Texas Hold ‘Em poker tournament to take place with THREE starting Day 1 events for SUN readers ONLY — the winner, who will be the last player standing on Day 2 of the event on Monday, June 11, will receive a $12,600 (£9,400) prize package including a $10,000 seat into the WSOP Main Event, five nights at the amazing Vdara Hotel, Las Vegas (July 03-July 07, 2018).
The winner will also receive an invitation to an 888poker welcome session, an 888live poker kit and daily transport from the Vdara to the Rio Hotel and Casino where the tournament will be hosted.
So play your cards right and it could be YOU jetting off to sunny Las Vegas, the gaming capital of the world, to take part in the 888poker sponsored World Series Of Poker Main Event, with millions of pounds in prize money up for grabs.
Just simply go to https://www.888poker.com/ and download the easy-to-use software – make sure you register to 888poker prior to the tournament to allow you to choose your online player user name.
YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO DEPOSIT ANY MONEY.
If you are already a player on 888poker just log-in as normal.
Players can register for The Sun tournament TOMORROW from 6pm.
Go to “All Games” and then “Tournaments.” Press the “Restricted” tab and The Sun tournament will appear.
Tournament’s name – The Sun – 888poker – WSOP Qualifier #1
Enter the password: “Sun4WSOP” for TOMORROW’S tournament.
You will then be marked as registered into the event and the game will open at 8pm.
888poker has devised a quick-fire tournament and play should last about two hours, to end with 15 players left.
There will be another chance to qualify on Saturday and Sunday (look out for the different passwords for all three of the Day 1 events, published daily) with a total of 45 players – 15 from each of the three Day 1s – taking part in Day 2 at 9pm on Monday, June 11 when all players will start with an equal stack of 10,000 chips.
Play will continue until the winner is decided. The winner will receive the $12,600 prize package.
Our runner-up will win a $1,050 online tournament ticket voucher to an 888poker online qualifying tournament, with the opportunity to win a further World Series Of Poker Main Event Package.
The third-place finisher will get a $215 online tourney ticket for 888poker.
Players from fourth to ninth place will each receive a $109 online tourney ticket for 888poker.
It is important to remember that you have to be over 21-years-old and resident in the UK to enter.
All https://www.888poker.com/ Terms and Conditions apply.
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