Jorginho has revealed that his passion for football faded during his final months at Arsenal, blaming limited playing time and an overly rigid tactical system under manager Mikel Arteta.
‘I Needed to Feel Alive’: Jorginho Reveals Why He Lost His Passion at Arsenal
The Italian midfielder left the Gunners as a free agent last summer and joined Brazilian club Flamengo.
He now explains that he needed to rediscover his happiness on the pitch after struggling to feel important to the squad.
“I want to feel alive and important for the team,” Jorginho told The Times.
“When a player is not on the pitch, it’s hard to keep motivated. I felt I needed to go somewhere where I was going to play with joy.”
The 33-year-old made 79 appearances for Arsenal following his move from Chelsea in 2023, but only 27 of those came as a starter.
Arteta increasingly used him as a squad player rather than a regular first-team option, which took a serious toll on his mental approach to the game.
Jorginho also opened up about Arsenal’s famous attention to set-piece routines.
He compares the intense tactical preparation to mundane schoolwork, though he admits the strategy delivers results.
“It does feel like homework, that’s the reality,” he said.
“But when you do your homework and then you have the test, you have a good result.”
However, the veteran midfielder warns that an extreme focus on data-driven outcomes risks harming Arsenal’s identity as a free-flowing attacking side.
He believes fans and players still crave beautiful football, especially during a Premier League title race.
“If you focus just on this, and then you forget about the football side, then of course, you’re not going to have beautiful football,” Jorginho explained.
“It’s all about balance. When you hyperfocus on one thing, like set pieces, then maybe the other part – the football – gets a bit forgotten.”
