Phuket FC President Pamuke Atchariyachai and Cruzeiro EC International Business Manager Pedro Moreira formally signed the agreement at a press event in Phuket on Tuesday (June 11).
The newest Islander, by way of Cruzeiro, was also present to sign his Phuket FC contract: 19-year old attacking midfielder Cristian Alex da Silva Santos, who will start playing for Phuket in the second half of the season.
Mr Pamuke said he was excited and delighted that a world-class team like Cruzeiro EC had chosen Phuket FC as their only partner in Thailand and the ASEAN region.
He said he was confident that the cooperation between the teams would aid Phuket FC’s development and their campaign to gain promotion to the Thai Premier League for next season.
Under the deal, Cruzeiro will provide Phuket FC with skilled players, while Phuket FC players will travel to train at Cruzeiro, in the Belo Horizonte region of Brazil. Cruzeiro is one of Brazil’s oldest football clubs, and one of only six Brazilian clubs never relegated from Brazil’s top division.
Two more Brazilian players, a forward and a midfielder, are also expected to arrive in Phuket soon to join the team under the deal.
Mr Moreira said he was excited with the Phuket FC-Cruzeiro partnership because he saw the potential for Phuket FC to be a great team under President Pamuke’s management.
He also said he was confident that Phuket’s new Brazilian player, Cristian Alex, would help Phuket achieve their Thai Premier League dream, noting that he had played for Cruzeiro since the age of 11.
Mr Moreira also spoke of the possibility of a Cruzeiro FC team visiting Phuket soon to play a friendly match against Phuket FC.
President Pamuke and Mr Moreira also introduced two young Phuket footballers, Micah and Jonah Duchovy, from Bang Jo United youth amateur youth team in Bang Jo, a small town near the Heroines Monument.
Both recently returned from training at the Cruzeiro Academy in Brazil, and will travel back to continue training again in August.
Mr Pamuke hailed the pair as among the next generation of Phuket FC footballing stars.