Dutch forward Memphis Depay said Thursday that his decision to join Brazil's Corinthians was driven by a desire to play in the "spiritual" home of football.

Depay faced the media for the first time since arriving at the Sao Paulo club as a free agent and he delighted journalists by making an effort to speak in Portuguese.

"I grew up in the Netherlands and I've played for many clubs in Europe but I'm here today and I believe it's for a reason," he said.

"I think we need to recognize where authentic football comes from. Many world stars come from Brazil - we all know of great Brazilian players. This is the Mecca of football, the beautiful game is here. Kids in Europe look up to players from here and not just because of football but also the way Brazilians embrace life. My reason for being here is bigger than football."

Depay, who parted ways with Atletico Madrid in May, has also had spells at Manchester United, Barcelona, Lyon and PSV Eindhoven over a professional career spanning more than 13 years. He has been capped 98 times for the Netherlands and scored 46 goals.

Corinthians officials confirmed on Thursday that Depay's contract will run until July 2026 and not December 2026 as had been previously reported.

The 30-year-old said he hoped to be a role model for Brazilian children and stressed that he would strive to play his best football in the South American country.

"Football brings people together. I want kids to look up to me and believe in their dreams. And I want to keep improving," he said.

Depay is expected to make his debut for Corinthians in their visit to Botafogo in Brazil's Serie A on Saturday.

Corinthians are currently 17th in the 20-team top-flight standings with 25 points from 25 games this campaign. 

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