A couple of months ago, new Halifax Wanderers head coach Vanni Sartini received a text from Marcus Godinho.
The 27-year-old full-back, who played under Sartini with the Vancouver Whitecaps in 2020 and 2021, was coming to the end of his contract in Sweden with Degerfors IF. He wanted to know if Sartini had any interest in bringing him to Halifax.
Following the better part of a decade spent in Europe, in Scotland, Germany, Poland and Sweden — interrupted by a season and a half in Vancouver with the Whitecaps — Godinho felt it was time to come home.
"Once I made that decision, for me, it was easy which club I wanted to go to," Godinho told CPLSoccer.com.
The initial draw to the East Coast was Sartini, a coach that Godinho says always got the best out of him. The pair also won a Canadian Championship together in 2022, the first of four straight for the Whitecaps.
But the more he talked to other members of the front office, players and fans, the more it solidified that Halifax was the right landing spot.
"After I got deeper into conversations with the club, everyone was super supportive," he said. "Everyone wanted me on board, and I really felt that desire from them to have me. I think as a player, that's special."
When Sartini received that text as well, there was no hesitation. Godinho was the exact type of player he was looking to recruit to elevate the talent he already had in Halifax. On Jan. 28, the Wanderers announced that Godinho had signed a deal for 2026, with club options for the next two seasons.
"I didn't think about it twice, because we had a really good time together at the Whitecaps," said Sartini. "We like him as a player, we like him as a human being and person in the locker room."
With over 100 matches of experience in Europe, and five caps for the Canadian men's national team, one of the biggest assets that Godinho feels he brings to Halifax, and the CPL as a whole, is that experience.
"Seeing, even in training, my work rate every day, I think it's eye-opening to a lot of players," said Godinho. "Hopefully, I can bring a standard to the team and help them improve."
Godinho solidifies an already strong Halifax backline in front of fellow Maritime newcomer goalkeeper Marco Carducci, featuring the likes of Thomas Meilleur-Giguère — a familiar face to Godinho from his Canadian youth national team days.
"TMG was a big factor as well, I spoke to him a lot before my decision to come and every time I've played with him, I've enjoyed it." said Godinho. "I think he's a fantastic player and a fantastic person as well.
"I'm really excited. Based on the first few weeks I think we're gelling really well. I think we've formed a good backline, a little bit of spine to it and I think things are going in the right direction."
This CPL season, which is less than a month away, will get off to a pretty special start for Godinho. Week one, of course, will be his first match in the CPL, and it comes in Langley against Vancouver FC. In week three, on April 18, he gets to play in front of the fans at the Wanderers Grounds for the first time.
But the second week of the season will be a special homecoming of a different kind for Godinho, as the Wanderers travel to York Lions Stadium to take on Inter Toronto in his hometown. Considering how long Godinho has been away from home, this will be a special opportunity to play in front of friends and family.
"My parents haven't had the opportunity to see me much like in all of the countries that I've played in, my grandfather's never watched me play a professional game live," said Godinho. "So he's really excited. My sister, my girlfriend, and everybody will be there. So I really can't wait. Buzzing for it."
Above all, though, his motivation is to do exactly what he and Sartini accomplished the last time they worked together: lift silverware.
"For me, playoffs is a must," said Godinho. "I have the ambition to win a trophy... I've been with Vanni, and we've won together, so I believe we can do it again."
