Maidstone FA Cup keeper is ex-Brazil ace who scored Ninety fifth min play-off remaining objective

As profession journeys go, they do not get a lot crazier than Maidstone United goalkeeper Lucas Covolan.

The 32-year-old shall be in internet for the National League South facet as they journey to Championship promotion-pushers Ipswich Town immediately (January 27) for his or her FA Cup fourth spherical conflict.

Like his membership, who have been compelled out of the Football League within the 90s after going bankrupt, Covolan has needed to battle tooth and nail to make successful of himself.

READ MORE: FA Cup underdogs Maidstone United have been compelled out of Football League after going bankrupt

READ MORE: ‘I used to be a BT engineer for 18 years – I give up in order that I might handle Notts County in League Two’

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A former Brazil youth worldwide, he began out at Vasco da Gama alongside one Philippe Coutinho, and performed with future Chelsea star Oscar in his nation’s under-20s facet.

“It was like a dream come true,” he recently recalled to The Guardian. “Oscar was unbelievable. Everyone knew he was going to be a star. One time he arrived at training in a helicopter. We were like: ‘Oh my days!’”

While their careers quickly took off, Covolan struggled to make it in his house nation. At top-flight Athletico Paranaense, he was eighth-choice goalkeeper.

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In worry of seeing his taking part in days fade earlier than his eyes, it was aged 24 he ventured to Europe. Spain was his vacation spot however after two years of additional struggles, England was his final house.

Impressive spells at Whitehawk and Worthing noticed him be part of Torquay United, the place his “single happiest second in soccer” occurred – scoring a 95th-minute equaliser in their 2021 play-off final against Hartlepool.

Torquay eventually lost on penalties, despite Covolan making two saves in the shootout, but he progressed to League Two anyway as Port Vale signed him to a two-year contract.

While it appeared he’d lastly received to the promised land he’d lengthy been in search of, the 6’4″ shot stopper started suffering with depression as the weight of expectation he placed on himself became too much.

“I felt like I needed to be perfect,” he explained. “I put so much pressure on myself that I was not enjoying football any more.”

Covolan was an unused substitute as Vale received the play-off remaining in 2022, earlier than they loaned him to Chesterfield for the next season. With Maidstone, there is a dream of returning to Wembley because the lowest-ranked facet nonetheless left within the competitors look to proceed their fairytale FA Cup run.