Devastating injury sparks retirement fears
Moura confessed that the prospect of walking away from professional football crossed his mind the moment club doctors diagnosed a complete tear of his right Achilles tendon on May 3. The setback occurred barely half an hour into his long-awaited comeback after spending nearly two months out fracturing two ribs against Atletico Mineiro on March 18. Facing another lengthy rehabilitation left the veteran questioning his future in the game.
Contract uncertainty compounded initial shock
The former Premier League attacker, who registered 39 goals across 221 appearances in all competitions during a five-year spell with Tottenham between January 2018 and June 2023, was particularly distressed because his existing deal with the Tricolor is due to expire at the end of the calendar year. With standard recovery timelines for such a severe rupture often stretching close to 12 months, the forward feared he would be left without an employer while still on the treatment table.
Speaking in an interview with GE, Moura recalled: "In the heat of the moment, when I got to the dressing room, I confess it crossed my mind. Because once it was confirmed right there, what you usually hear about an Achilles tendon is that it takes ten months to a year to return. I thought: 'My contract ends in December. Where will I be? Will I be without a club?' That doubt creeps in."
Perspective from wife inspired comeback
The day after the Bahia match, the playmaker underwent successful surgery led by Dr Moises Cohen at the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein on May 4, where doctors informed him that he faced at least six months on the sidelines. Struggling to process the lay-off, the attacker credited his wife with shifting his mindset and motivating him to attack his rehabilitation.
Recounting her words of encouragement after the operation, Moura added: "'Babe, imagine how many people enter a hospital not knowing if they'll leave tomorrow. You have an injury where, in six months, you're recovered.' That was a wake-up call for me. We're going to come out stronger. That flipped the switch for me. Let's work, let's do everything I need to do."
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Additionally, ExpressVPN's Advanced plan includes the ExpressMailGuard, which offers an unlimited private email relay plus an unlimited number of shared aliases and 20 custom domains, ExpressKeys, which gives users a password management facility for an unlimited number of passwords plus a 2FA authenticator, and ExpressAI, an AI assistant that offers 500 credits a day, six AI models, a web search facility plus 2GB storage.
There is a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users. The plan is available on a one-month rolling contract, although those that sign up for a 12-month plan (offering one year plus an extra three months) can save around 60%, while those that sign up for a two-year plan (offering two years plus an extra four months) can save 67%. Both longer-term plans include a 3GB holiday.com eSIM that is valid for five days in 150+ destinations.
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Those that sign up for ExpressVPN's entry-level Basic plan gain access to a high-speed VPN, which offers high-capacity 40Gbps servers in many high-demand locations, with VPN servers in 113 countries worldwide.
The VPN can be applied across 10 different devices simultaneously, and offers Lite Protection that blocks ads and malicious and adult websites. A dedicated IP is available to be purchased as an add-on.
Additionally, ExpressVPN's Basic plan includes the ExpressMailGuard, which offers a 10MB/month private email relay plus 10 shared aliases.
There is a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users. The plan is available on a one-month rolling contract, although those that sign up for a 12-month plan (offering one year plus an extra three months) can save more than 60%, while those that sign up for a two-year plan (offering two years plus an extra four months) can save 80%.
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Additionally, ExpressVPN's Advanced plan includes the ExpressMailGuard, which offers a 100MB/month private email relay plus 50 shared aliases and a custom domain, and ExpressKeys, which gives users a password management facility for an unlimited number of passwords plus a 2FA authenticator.
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Swift recovery precedes derby clash
Defying initial medical projections, Moura returned in just over five months during a 2-1 league win over Vitoria on October 10 and has already scored once across four appearances since. The 34-year-old will now look to maintain that momentum when Sao Paulo host fierce rivals Corinthians on November 4 ahead of clashes against Fluminense and Botafogo. Strong displays during the run-in could prove decisive with his contract expiring in December.