Shakhtar specifically are proud when traditional clubs from

Hear the words of Fernandinho: “Shakhtar specifically are proud when traditional clubs from Europe come knocking, and I knew it would be quite hard to convince them to let me join City. Listen, I am absolutely thankful for the opportunity they gave me, but I also think I worked my socks off for that club, and it was time to look after my career.” Within these words lies the wisdom of a man who honors his past yet also dares to claim his future. It is a teaching of gratitude balanced with courage, of respect for those who shaped him, and of determination to take hold of destiny when the time was right.

The origin of this saying rests in the journey of a footballer who gave his strength and years to Shakhtar Donetsk, a club that nurtured him, gave him a stage, and molded him into a champion. Fernandinho speaks first with thankfulness, acknowledging the blessing of opportunity, the chance to grow, to shine, and to belong. But he also speaks with the fire of ambition, confessing that he labored tirelessly, “worked his socks off,” and that after years of loyalty, it was time to seek a new horizon. His words remind us that gratitude does not mean bondage, and that loyalty does not forbid the pursuit of growth.

The ancients knew this truth well. Consider the story of Moses, who served in Pharaoh’s house and learned wisdom there, yet when the time came, he left to lead his people toward freedom. He did not curse the place that raised him, but neither did he remain bound when destiny called him elsewhere. Fernandinho’s reflection is of the same spirit: a recognition that opportunity and effort are both sacred, and that when the season of one chapter ends, a new one must begin.

His words also reveal the eternal tension between duty and ambition. To remain with Shakhtar would have been the safer road, the easier choice, to continue where he was cherished. But ambition whispered of new challenges, of the Premier League, of Manchester City, of battles on a larger stage. In this moment, Fernandinho embraced a truth that every soul must one day face: duty must be honored, but one’s own calling must not be denied. To fail to pursue growth is to betray the gift of one’s own life.

And yet, notice how deeply he ties his ambition to gratitude. He does not speak of leaving Shakhtar with bitterness, nor of ingratitude for what they gave. He calls it a blessing, honors the club, its coaches, its opportunities. This balance is the mark of maturity: to look back with thanks while looking forward with determination. The immature cut ties with scorn; the wise leave with reverence. Fernandinho shows that it is possible to cherish the past while still reaching for the future.

The lesson, then, is clear: be thankful for every chapter of your life, but do not be afraid to turn the page. Gratitude must always walk with ambition, and ambition must never trample gratitude. To remain forever in one place, even after you have given your all, is to deny your own growth. But to leave without honor is to forget the hands that lifted you. The wise man does both: honors the roots, but reaches for the sky.

Practical actions flow from this wisdom. First, cultivate gratitude for those who have helped shape you, whether they be family, mentors, or communities. Second, when the time comes to move forward, do so without guilt, for growth is not betrayal—it is fulfillment. Third, always leave doors open, walking away with respect rather than bitterness, so that your past remains a foundation, not a burden. In this way, you live both as a servant of gratitude and as a warrior of destiny.

Thus, Fernandinho’s words resound as a teaching for all generations: work with all your strength, give thanks for every opportunity, but never fear to seize the moment when destiny calls you forward. For life is not meant to be stagnant, but to be a journey of chapters—each honored, each completed, each leading to something greater.