Philippe Coutinho, 34 years old, decided to take a break from his career in February to focus on mental health, and over the following six months received offers from several Brazilian clubs before agreeing to play for Santos. Vasco, the club he was with at the start of the season and where he lived through a turbulent period, did not contact him again during that time.
The lack of contact from Vasco increased the player's frustration over what he experienced at the club at the beginning of the season. Coutinho was hurt by some of the behaviors he was subjected to as a Vasco player, but he still remained a fan of the club.
To people close to him, Coutinho did not rule out the possibility of a farewell from football at Vasco, acknowledging the bond he still maintains with the fans. The frustration with the treatment he received contributed to his temporary withdrawal from football.
The midfielder agreed to return to Santos this year specifically because of his friendship with Neymar, who is also at the club. The personal relationship between the two players was decisive in Coutinho choosing the Peixe as his destination to return to professional football.
