PAULO'S PERFECT NIGHT

As the minutes slowly ticked off at The Family Arena clock in Saint Charles, Mo. on Feb. 21, goalkeeper Paulo Nascimento was getting anxious, even though his team enjoyed a sizable advantage.

With five minutes remaining the Major Arena Soccer League game, the St. Louis Ambush's fourth quarter lead had stretched to 10-0 against Utica City FC.

"I started feeling a little bit of stress," he said.

After all, how many times in a career that a goalkeeper is on the cusp of earning a shutout in indoor soccer?

In his 146 regular-season games with the Ambush, Nascimento had none.

Finally, the final buzzer sounded, and Nascimento and his teammates had secured a 13-0 victory.

"They had some good chances,” he said. “I had some good saves, and a lot of great blocks from us. Anxious, nervous, emotions. Everything that indoors brings to us."

The achievement also was part relief and excitement for the 41-year-old goalie, who had come close to a clean sheet over the years.

"It's indoor soccer," he said. "It matters if you win the game. Usually, you concede at least one goal. I was pretty close a few times. A lot of legends in the past have done it. It's a very emotional moment and special. It's some kind of recognition, a recognition from the league, for my teammates. It was very good night, very great feelings, for sure."

Nascimento admitted that he almost teared up over his accomplishment.

"Even the Utica guys, they came and congratulated me, and I almost cried for happiness because we have been lucky.”

He thought about “how hard, like, my whole journey and all the last 10 years, my soccer life in different countries."

Indoor goalkeepers are likely to score a goal before adding a shutout to their resume.

Nascimento has scored six goals in his 10-year Ambush career.

He appreciated that the players in front of him did their defensive roles, and that includes the Ambush's attackers.

"Of course, I cannot do anything by myself," he said. "We have a great team in front of me helping defensively; players who could defend and score, as well. Our defense has scored a lot. Our attackers have been really working hard to defend. That's the biggest key and the biggest difference this year."

The Brazilian-born goalkeeper's performance earned him his second goalkeeper of the week honor in February. He also received the award on Feb. 13.

It has all wrapped up in a magical season for St. Louis (11-3-3, 33 points), who are first in the MASL entering Friday night's game against the Baltimore Blast.

"It has been a very special year. The Ambush on top of the table," Nascimento said. "We always had a good environment, a good team, but the results weren’t there. We made some playoffs. But this year we are competing for the first position. We are trying to get ready for playoffs."

That is a marked contrast to the 2024-25 campaign, when the Ambush (11-12-1) finished in eighth place before being eliminated by the Chihuahua Savage in the opening round of the playoffs.

Nascimento said that this season has been "so much fun.”

"Since I know my time is getting closer, really soon, I just like to really enjoy every moment, every game, even when we're losing," he added. "I have a different role in this club now, as being a leader and helping the new generation. Veterans players and some really good younger players make it much fun. I'm very grateful for what game has given me. I also like my opponents' fans. It doesn't matter where I'm going. I always talk to the fans. They respect me. They cheer, but I can feel the loss from the kids from the game, and that's matters the most."

Compared to many goalkeepers, Nascimento got a head start, guarding the net when he was five years old. His youth team rotated players in the net and he impressed his coach.

"I wasn't afraid of the ball. Probably didn't have technique," he said. "The first requirement for being a goalkeeper is not being afraid of the ball. My coach asked me, 'Hey, we have a tournament; could you play goalie?' I said, no. The reason was that my dad always said, 'If you want to make money, score goals, don't defend goals.' And he [the coach] came back: 'But if you play goal at least a little bit, I can give you that jersey.’ It was a beautiful black jersey. I found love with the jersey. We got first place. I was the best keeper. I didn't stop. I just keep going."

Nascimento was hooked. He excelled at futsal.

Growing up, his goalkeeping heroes included Claudio Taffarel, who backstopped Brazil to the 1994 World Cup championship, and former Mexican international Jorge Campos.

"Taffarel saved PKs in the final game. That brought us the championship,” he said of the shootout win over Italy. “I remember watching Brazil vs. the rest of the world game, and the other goalkeeper was Jorge Campos. He played the first half as a goalie. He moved to be a wing attacker in the second half. He was so short, like I was, and he could jump. And I loved it."

Nascimento is 5-10, 179-lbs; his height is small for a goalkeeper, but perfect for futsal and indoors.

At 17, he turned professional in a Brazilian futsal leagues. He also played in Portugal and Ukraine.

In 2017, then Ambush coach Hewerton Moreira scouted Nascimento, liked what he saw and brought the keeper to St. Louis.

Even though he enjoyed great success in futsal, it took a while for Nascimento to become accustomed and comfortable playing the game with boards.

"It was very hard," he said. "It probably took me about like two or three seasons to really feel comfortable with angles, anticipating some plays, because there are boards. It is a little bit different. You have to be aware of the corners, the boards."

He also learned from the best indoor goalies, including Tacoma’s Danny Waltman and the Ambush’s Jamie Swanner.

"They received me very well,” Nascimento. “They helped me, gave a lot of important tips."

His 4.53 goals-against average leads the league, as does his save percentage (73.8). He also tied with San Diego Sockers' Boris Pardo and Comets goalies Phillip Ejimadu for the most wins with nine apiece.

Nascimento, who has produced 1,856 saves in the regular season and playoffs for St. Louis, also leads the lead with 194. He made countless ones as a pro in Brazil.

His most memorable stops came in the Brazil national league final in 2011. He denied two penalty kicks, the last one on the final play of the encounter.

"That was a very special save," he said.

Indoors?

"That's a hard one," he said. "I think it's still coming."

Perhaps it will come during the playoffs. Outside of a collapse, the Ambush should finish among the top six teams to qualify for the post season.

Not unlike The Family Arena clock, Nascimento realized that another one ticking - on his career.

Winning a championship would cap it off.

"Last year, we lost to Chihuahua [in the playoffs], in a good game, and I conceded a bad goal that went off the board, and took a bounce. I didn't know if I was going to play again," Nascimento said. "This year I'm able to play. We are winning, leading the league, which is very, very special.

"If we win the league, maybe it could be my last action. It would be like some kind of dream."

It will depend on how his body holds up. Goalkeepers take some tough knocks with all the diving they do.

"Right now, like my body is holding up very well," Nascimento said. "My feelings, emotions; everything is very well. But at 40, you never know how your body is going feel in six months. How many years have I left in my tank? Last year, I would say five. This year … it's low. Let's see how it's going in six months. Let's see how it's going to be in a year, because I don't want to be on the field and not be able to perform."

Nascimento has used two veteran keepers - Waldman (44), and Pardo, who will turn 42 next month, as examples.

"Danny Waltman has come back. I love that Pardo is doing very well, like those keepers are around my age," he said. "t's so great to see some kind of inspiration for myself.

"I'm not the tallest goalie in the league, so I really need to jump. I need to be able to move quickly. The body is doing well. I would love to play another five years. … If I don't see myself perform how I should, I would prefer be just helping the next goalkeeper, the next generation as much as I could."

Actually, he already is. Last fall, Nascimento directed the Lindenwood University men to a 14-2-4 record and its first regular season and postseason champions since 2013, in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (Division II).

 He also is the head of goalkeeping development at TPH Academy, and the Saint Louis Scott Gallagher goalkeeping coach.

So, if Paulo Nascimento doesn’t continue in the St. Louis Ambush net, it is likely that he will continue to make an impact in goalkeeping for years to come.

Michael Lewis, the sixth recipient of the Clay Berling Media Career of Excellence Award in 2025, can be followed on X (formerly Twitter) and Bluesky at @Soccerwriter. His 10th soccer book, Around the World Cup in 40 Years: An American sportswriter's perspective, will be published this spring.