Selangor FC’s in-form striker Chrigor Moraes has credited his happiness off the pitch for his success in front of goal as he seeks to lead the Red Giants to their first major trophy in more than a decade in the 2025/26 ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup™.
The Brazilian powered Selangor closer to success for the first time since lifting the Malaysia Cup in 2015 by scoring both goals, the second with a cool finish, in his side’s 2-1 home win over Nam Định FC in the first leg of the Shopee Cup™ semi-finals on Wednesday.
Those goals took the 25-year-old’s tally to 40 goals in 45 matches in all competitions so far in his first season at the Malaysian club since joining from Buriram United FC in July.
“When I came to Selangor, from the first day until now I feel like my home is here,” says the forward. “I have my family here, my wife has had a baby here, so everyone supports us. This is very important for me because I always love my family.
“I want to be close to my family and here I have one family, all from Brazil. This is very important for me and I can feel very comfortable to play and score goals.
“I feel secure here. My wife doesn’t speak too much English, and me also, but here I can go out and try to talk. I have friends outside football here.
“I came from Thailand and there, I only had friends inside the club. Here I can go take a coffee with some friends. This is different for me. These are things I can do in Brazil but outside it’s different.”
Chrigor’s comfort in his current surroundings has paid off handsomely with his on-field performances. He scored in his Shopee Cup™ debut against ex-employers and defending champions Buriram United FC, who won 3-1 away against Johor Darul Ta’zim FC of Malaysia in the other semi-final tie, before hitting the two goals that have put Selangor on the cusp of the competition’s final.
Those strikes have come in addition to the 23 goals he has scored in 23 matches in the Malaysia Super League as well as five in the Malaysia Cup, five in the Malaysian FA Cup and four in the AFC Champions League Two.
His ability to deliver in front of goal has ensured head coach Kim Pan-gon and his team mates have developed a special bond with their marksman.
“We trust Chrigor,” says Kim. “Our players support him to deliver a better ball so that he can score. He’s not only attacking, he contributes with the defending as well.
“He works hard and he has leadership to help the team harmony. He’s never selfish, he takes care of the other players. He’s a great player.”
That growing relationship is playing a major role in driving Selangor towards the Shopee Cup™ title as the club attempts to end a long-running trophy drought.
Despite Selangor’s status as one of Malaysian football’s best-supported clubs, the most recent of their record 33 Malaysia Cup titles came in 2015 while the club was last crowned league champions in 2010.
Having qualified for the Shopee Cup™ through a runners-up finish in the Malaysia Super League last season, Chrigor and his team mates now have their sights set on moving beyond Nam Định in the second leg of the semi-final in Vietnam on Wednesday.
“We know this is very important for us and for the club but we also know it’s difficult there’s a little bit of pressure because it’s been 10 years,” he says of Selangor’s run without a major title.
“But we’re always together and have one more game to go to the final. It’s a difficult game but we know we can do it.
“Football today is about confidence. My team mates have given this to me and I know when the ball comes I can be relaxed because they have confidence in me to score. When I control the ball, my body can be calm.”
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