Let’s go right back to the start of your journey and find out more about you. Do you remember how you first got into football as akid?

'I started early in Brazil, four years old, because I was a little bit fat and my grandmother sent me to football to lose some kgs! Then, when I was six years old, I joined Vasco da Gama.'

How did that comeabout?

'Actually, I joined a club called Bangu first, and then I played against Vasco da Gama and they asked me to join them. I played at Vasco da Gama for 12 years, did my academy years there, and made my first team debut too.'

So you very quickly showed something as a young footballer...

'Yeah, I started early: four years old. It’s so early, I was like a baby! And since my life has always been about football. Always, always.'

Did you watch football as well and, if so, who were your favouriteplayers?

'It’s hard to say one, but when I was young, I always liked Neymar. He was so good.'

Did you used to go to Vasco da Gama games when you were a kid?

'Yeah, and the atmosphere is amazing. I tell everyone that they have to try it one time, because we are Brazilians and the passion of football there is different.

'When I was 17 years old, I played my first game in the senior team and it was amazing. We won 1-0 and the supporters were saying, "Andrey Santos! Andrey Santos!" When I arrived home to my parents, I cried because my emotions were so high and I was so young.'

When you leave a club after such a long time there, it must be difficult, but to do that and head for a different country, on another continent, where the language is new – that must have been a big change for you?

'Yeah, it’s so hard because I was in Brazil and then I arrived here at 18 years old to another language, another culture, another club. But since I arrived here, people have helped me a lot.

'I remember my first week, Reece (James), Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell helped me a lot. It was really good because I just spoke Portuguese, and now I have improved my English. Reece is fantastic. He’s the captain and he helps everyone; this is important for the younger players who arrive here.

Do you remember when you first heard that Chelsea wanted to bring you here?

'I remember when my agent said to me that I had interest from Chelsea, and I didn’t sleep because it was my dream to play in a big club like Chelsea. I didn’t sleep at all – that week was hard for me! But I’m here now, and I’m so happy to be here.'

Did you watch the Brazilian players who played for Chelsea in the past?

'Yeah, so many: Willian, Ramires, David Luiz, Thiago Silva. Actually, when I arrived here, Thiago Silva helped me a lot as well. I went for dinner with him when I arrived, so Thiago Silva was like a father for me.'

You’ve had some loans since signing, most notably with Strasbourg in France’s Ligue 1. How important was that spell?

'My time in France is hard to describe, because I loved it there. I loved the people of Strasbourg, the supporters, so I think that helped me a lot because I was playing a lot. I think I played 45 games and I scored 12 times, so it’s a lot of goals from midfield – defensive midfield. We did very well, qualifying for the Conference League. Of course, I miss the people there but this time in France was so important for me.'

They made you captain during a loan spell, which speaks volumes!

'It was incredible. That never crossed my mind… but on the pitch, I’m a leader, I show leadership, and one day the coach said to me, “I think you would be a good captain.” I was so happy.'

Were you speaking French in your time there?

'Yeah, so my French is better than my English! I was there for one and a half years and every day you speak French. We didn’t have any Brazilians – just me – so I was alone. I had to speak French.'

Your English is pretty good, too. Did you speak any English or French before you left Brazil?

'I did classes when I was young, but just at school, so it was hard for me at first. Now I try to help Estevao too.'

It seemed as though you won an award every other month in France!

'Yeah! I think I have the six awards at home – Player of the Month for Strasbourg – because my last season was amazing, the best of my career so far. I remember my first season in the team at Vasco da Gama, I scored eight goals and zero assists. Then, last season, I scored 11 goals and got five assists at Strasbourg. And I was captain, we qualified for the Conference League, so I’m happy with that season.'

That kind of season builds confidence as well...

'I think it’s so important because I was six months at [Nottingham] Forest and I didn’t play there. It was a difficult moment, but I still had a strong mindset and then I joined Strasbourg and did very well.'

'Then, at the end of last season, you came to America to join us for the Club World Cup.

'Yeah, immediately. It was a massive tournament, and it was amazing for me because it was my first big trophy with Chelsea. I started playing against Palmeiras in the quarter-finals and then the semi-final against Fluminense, and then the final against PSG – so I played, I played, and I played. I think this competition was so important for me, and it’s the Club World Cup, you know, so it’s important for everyone.'

That competition carries huge significance in Brazil, right?

'This one is so important in Latin America, so important. And when I was there, we played against Flamengo, Palmeiras and Fluminense – three Brazilian teams. So their supporters were saying, "Andrey, you cannot score, you cannot score, you cannot score!" But I was so happy to win this trophy.'

This season, you are competing in the Champions League for the first time as well. That must be a great experience?

'It’s hard to describe playing in the Champions League because it’s a dream. You know, when I was young, I remember watching Champions League matches, and players like (Didier) Drogba and Neymar.

'So when you say ‘Champions League’ to me, it’s so hard to explain because when you listen to the song of the Champions League you just feel… confident… like, "I’m here". I love this competition and I’m so happy to play in this competition with Chelsea.'

Tell me about the Barcelona game...

'That was incredible. Wow. Incredible, because I came on at half-time and I helped my team-mates for the second goal. I also scored a goal, but Garnacho was offside, so it was disallowed. I said, “No, it cannot happen!” But the most important thing is the victory and we won 3-0.'

You mentioned the atmosphere at Vasco da Gama games earlier. That night against Barcelona was a great example of a good English atmosphere, wasn’t it?

'I’m learning this because I was in France before and it’s a little bit different there – and in Brazil it’s different too. But I like this atmosphere here; it's more spontaneous. It’s like, for example, when you do something very well, the supporters all say, "Oooh!" at the same time, and for me this is amazing. And then if you do something bad, it’s more like "Whoooa!", but it’s always together, you know. They go "Ooooh!" and then "Whoooa!" I like this.'

How has it felt to be included in the Brazil squad as well?

'The national team was my dream and now I’ve joined them five times – and for the last four. Last time, I was there in the national team with my team-mates here, with Joao Pedro and Estevao. We are close to the World Cup, which is another dream, my objective. But I know I have to work hard every day here to be there.'

Tell us about the reaction in Brazil to the performances of Estevao here at Chelsea.

'Estevao is amazing. He’s young but he is doing very well. I like this guy and it’s hard to describe because he’s different. He’s Brazilian, he always wants to go to one-vs-one, to dribble and to score.'

So Estevao, he’s magic. Are you and Joao Pedro helping him adapt to England?

'Yeah, I think it’s important because, as Thiago Silva did with me, I think we have to help him. We are like a family, you know? So we have to help each other, like Reece did, like Cucu (Marc Cucurella) did. I think this is important because when you get on the pitch, it’s much better for us.'

How would you describe your own role on the pitch?

'I like one-vs-one defensive play, and then my quality on the ball and my passes help to break the lines. I like duels too.'

Sounds like a proper box-to-box midfielder!

'I like to play as a six or an eight – it doesn’t matter – and if the coach says, “Andrey, you have to play like a six,” I will do my best. If he says I have to play like an eight, I will do my best as well. And it must be great to play alongside whoever joins you in that midfield triangle here.

'Whoever plays, it’s so easy to play with them. Moises (Caicedo), Reece, Romeo (Lavia), Dario (Essugo), Cole (Palmer), Enzo (Fernandez), I think we all have a connection, you know? We have all done very well together during the training sessions and the games.

'I think this connection is so important for us because that way, when we arrive for the game, it’s easy for us.

Finally, how are you finding the winter weather here?

'So now we have reached December and the weather is very cold! My friends arrived in England today and they sent me a message about the weather – so it’s different now than at the start of the season.

'It’s so cold… but I like it. It’s a little bit different from Brazil but I like the cold! Now you know why English football is so fast and physical, because it’s cold! Yeah! So I have to push more and more and more!'

This interview was first published in the Chelsea match-day programme. You can buy past and future programmes here.

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