Wout Brama announced on Tuesday that the play-offs for European football with FC Twente will be his last trick as a football player. The figurehead of the Tukkers then stops playing football, although there are also doubts about whether that choice will turn out to be the right one.
Brama expresses doubts about his decision to quit
In an interview with the club channel, he discusses the reason behind his decision. “I thought a lot on my own, but of course I also consulted with my wife and people around me. It’s not that I’m 100 percent sure that I want to stop, there are still percentages that say I’ll continue for a while, but at some point it’s been nice and you can say goodbye to it in a nice way,” he said.
The midfielder also explains why he has come to consider quitting. “I have come to an age where it hurts a little more than when I was 23. I think next year my role will be even more marginal than it is now. If it gets even less, it will be more difficult to do everything for it, although I like to do that. I have the best job in the world, but I think it’s better if I stop now,” said Brama, who says he made his decision last week.
“It’s not easy to stop playing football if that’s your passion”
For Brama, who does not yet know what he will do next, it is no surprise that he is no longer a professional football player after this season. “I knew that my football career was coming to an end. When I came back from Australia in 2018, my idea was to play football for two more seasons at FC Twente. I am now in my fifth year. It turned out more beautiful than I could have imagined before my return. It’s not easy to stop playing football if that’s your passion, but I’m also looking forward to doing other things.”
Brama, now 36, had two long periods with his childhood sweetheart in Enschede. Between 2005 and 2014 he grew with the club, with the national title in 2010 as the absolute highlight. Brama returned in 2018 and went through a turbulent period. It started with relegation, followed by promotion and last season even qualified for European football. On Sunday, Brama, who played little this season, will play with his team against Ajax. The formation of Ron Jans is assured of play-offs for European football. So Brama has at least one extra match to look forward to.
Brama played for Twente, PEC Zwolle, FC Utrecht and Central Coast Mariners in his career. He has three international matches for the Dutch national team to his name.
