Cássio Reveals 2016 Alcohol Struggles and Tite’s Tough Love at Corinthians
Goalkeeper Cássio revealed he struggled with excessive alcohol consumption during the 2016 season while playing for Corinthians, crediting former coach Tite with forcing a career-saving wake-up call, terra.com.br reported. Now playing for Cruzeiro, the veteran goalkeeper opened up about a period of heavy partying and personal loss that ultimately led to deep depression and professional intervention before he achieved sobriety in 2017.
Tite Replaces Cássio with Walter in 2016
The turning point for Cássio arrived in May 2016 after the death of his grandmother, a personal pillar in his career. Following her funeral, he missed a match against Grêmio, where backup goalkeeper Walter stepped in and performed well, cartacapital.com.br reported. Shortly before the following fixture, then-manager Tite called both goalkeepers into his office to announce that Walter would retain the starting position.
Quando eu perdi a posição, em 2016, o Tite falou: ‘Tenho que fazer alguma coisa para te ajudar’. Eu fiquei uma semana falando: ‘Ele está de sacanagem’ […] Passando os dias, eu entendi que estava errado. Eu agradeço a ele até hoje, porque me fez amadurecer muito com o decorrer o tempo. Antes, eu já estava em uma pegada de festas, com pé no acelerador,
Cássio recounted to the Charla Podcast, as noted by cartacapital.com.br. At the time, the goalkeeper initially reacted with anger to the benching before recognizing the underlying necessity of the coach’s decision.
Cássio Adopts Sobriety and Diet to Reverse Trajectory
Determined to reverse his trajectory, Cássio entered the 2017 pre-season having completely halted his alcohol intake and starting his first career diet, returning to training six pounds lighter, according to cartacapital.com.br. He credited his wife and his religious conversion as foundational pillars in helping him overcome his inability to moderate his drinking. Eu tinha uma vida de solteiro, mas não bebo nada desde 2017. Eu tinha problema com bebida. Cada um sabe da sua vida, mas eu não sabia o meu limite. Eu me converti, e minha esposa tem grande papel nisso,
the goalkeeper stated in the interview.
The lifestyle shift also brought clarity regarding his social circle. Cássio warned young players about what he described as false friendships that often accompany professional success, noting that many individuals who frequented his home vanished once his partying habits and heavy spending stopped.
Depression and the Mental Health Battle Preceding the Cruzeiro Move
Beyond his earlier struggles with alcohol, Cássio detailed a battle with deep depression during his final phase at Corinthians, prior to transferring to Cruzeiro in May 2024, otempo.com.br and uol.com.br reported. The mental health crisis involved severe negative thoughts, professional burnout, and the necessity of psychiatric and psychological treatment, including medication and therapy. The player of 37 years recounted that he lived through a phase of negative thoughts and felt he lacked the strength to continue playing for the club, noting that the difficult moment was not solely connected to losing his starting spot.
Quando eu saí do Corinthians, eu estava em depressão. Cheguei num ponto que tive que buscar ajuda, psiquiatra, remédios. As pessoas não entendem que a gente ganha um salário grande, mas quando você está assim… eu falava para minha esposa ‘Eu não estou conseguindo jogar no Corinthians, o que eu sempre sonhei, que sempre me proporcionou muita coisa’,
Cássio explained to the Charla Podcast, as published by otempo.com.br. He emphasized that financial stability does not insulate an athlete from mental health struggles, while also recounting severe moments such as experiencing thoughts of driving his car into somewhere.
Cássio Joins Cruzeiro After Career with Corinthians
Cássio remains under contract with Cruzeiro, the Belo Horizonte club he joined in May 2024 as the first signing under Pedro Lourenço’s administration, following 12 years and multiple major titles with Corinthians. The player, today 39 years old, won the Brasileirão twice, the Campeonato Paulista four times, and the Recopa Sul-Americana with the São Paulo team, alongside capturing the Libertadores and FIFA Club World Cup in 2012 and establishing himself as a premier reference for his position in Brazilian football, having also secured a state title during his three seasons in Belo Horizonte. Since returning from a knee injury in August 2026 under coach Artur Jorge, he has remained a substitute behind Otávio, the current starting goalkeeper for Cruzeiro and a Brazil national team selection by Carlo Ancelotti. Cruzeiro returns to competitive action on Wednesday, October 7, at 21:30 local Brasília time (00:30 UTC), hosting São Paulo at the Mineirão stadium for the 29th round of the Campeonato Brasileiro.
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