For Anselmo de Moraes, feeling settled in Adelaide is about much more than football.
Ahead of his second season with the Reds, United Media caught up with the humble Brazilian about family, life away from the pitch and why Adelaide is increasingly feeling like home.
With his family now settled alongside him, Anselmo enters the new campaign feeling fitter, more confident and ready for what lies ahead.
“I’m very happy to be here, and my family also,” Anselmo said.
“The kids like the school and are making friends, so it’s good.”
Family has followed Anselmo throughout a career that has taken him from Brazil to Italy, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and now Australia.
At home, Portuguese remains the language of choice, although life in Adelaide is bringing plenty of English into the household too.
Anselmo and his wife have three children – Maria, twelve, Ana Luna, eight, and four-year-old David and wherever football has taken him, decisions about his career have always been made together.
“I always talk with my wife,” he said.
“She says, ‘Yes, go. I’ll go with you.’
“It’s another challenge for us, but if the move is good for me, for my wife and for the children, then we make the decision together.”
Away from football, life is refreshingly simple.
Anselmo spends much of his time entertaining his youngest, whose seemingly endless energy keeps Dad busy when he gets home from training.
“I play with my little boy all the time,” he said.
“He has so much energy and every time he wants to play, play, play! Football, cars.
“The girls like to watch movies. We go to restaurants and playgrounds. That’s about it, and I love it!”
The family has also begun finding its favourite Adelaide spots, with Anselmo enjoying the quieter pace of the city.
Skipper Craig Goodwin had spoken positively about Adelaide before Anselmo made the move, and the Brazilian says the lifestyle has proved an ideal fit.
“Craig told me about the city and about the Club,” he said.
“I like the city because it’s quiet. For my family, it’s very good. The quality of life is very nice.”
Even pre-season has offered some new experiences.
During the Reds’ recent trip to Western Australia, Anselmo joined Juan Muñiz & Joshua Smits for his first ever round of golf.
The verdict?
“Yes, I enjoyed it, but it’s not easy,” he laughed.
Asked whether there would be a second round, Anselmo was less certain.
“I don’t know!” he exclaimed, laughing.
While life away from the pitch is settled, there is also a noticeable difference in how Anselmo feels heading into the new campaign.
After arriving in Adelaide once last season was already underway, the 37-year-old has now had the benefit of completing a full pre-season alongside his teammates.
“I feel better now,” he said.
“Better than last season because I started with the team from the first day of pre-season.
“I feel better now and have more confidence. My fitness is better, so it’s good. I feel good.”
That preparation could prove particularly important as United balances the A-League with an AFC Champions League Two campaign.
And Asian competition is not unfamiliar territory for Anselmo.
He featured for Al-Wehda in the 2021 AFC Champions League and more recently, he made two AFC Champions League Elite appearances for Malaysian powerhouse Johor Darul Ta’zim during its 2025 Round of 16 tie against Buriram United.
Those experiences mean Anselmo understands the different demands that come with continental football – and the importance of making key moments count.
“I think you have to be focused for every game and not lose the opportunity to score or to win the game,” he said.
“In the Champions League, everything happens quickly.
“I think the guys need to keep that in their heads, stay focused and take the opportunity to win.”
For a Reds squad containing plenty of young talent, that experience provides another valuable voice as the Club navigates matches at home and abroad.
Anselmo has played football across four continents and experienced vastly different leagues, cultures and environments along the way.
But here in Adelaide, his family is settled. His body feels ready. And with another Asian campaign ahead, Anselmo is prepared to bring all of that experience to a Reds side eager for the challenges to come.
