Heurelho Gomes has received a call from God and wants to serve as a pastor when he retires.

The Brazilian goalkeeper has said he is 99 per cent certain that this season will be his last as a football player and now he has his heart set on a return to his home country to work as both a pastor and a football agent.

“I’m prepared for it, I got a call up from God to be a pastor, maybe I’m going to be a pastor,” he said of his future.

“I want to finish the season and think about it and speak to my family as well. They know and I have got a few plans to make involving football as well. 

“My life will continue, out from the pitch but involved in football as well.”

Gomes has not always been a religious person, but over the past few years he said God has become more important to him and now the 38-year-old says he wants to pass on the word of the bible to others.

He said: “In the last few years, this is inside of me more and more and it can be an opportunity to pass to other people that need this as well.

“My last two years, God starts to talk to you and say, ‘I want you to serve me this way’.

“In the last two years it’s been very strong inside of me, so maybe this can happen.”

While Gomes may be approaching 40, he insists that his decision to hang up his gloves has nothing to do with his physical fitness. 

The health of his mother and spending time with his family are atop a list of reasons why a return to Brazil is something he is planning this summer.

He said: “Physically I’m fine, better than a few years ago. I didn’t look after myself like I do today so it’s not about my physical condition.

“As a professional footballer we have to be professional, we have to look after ourself. 

“It’s more about the time, Im thinking the time has come to an end. 
“My mum is getting older and I lost my dad when I was away in 2006.

“That was a very difficult time for me, so I want to be as close to my mum as possible and she misses me as well and my brothers and sisters as well, so I want to spend a time with them.”

Walking away from football entirely is not something Gomes is prepared to do just yet, although coaching does not appeal to him.

After brokering his own contract at Watford the last time he signed an extension, he is preparing to become an agent in a bid to help young South American players find clubs in Europe.

“I don’t think coaching, I don’t think I have it. Coaching you have to spend more time if you want to be successful than the players. 

“You have to prepare training and sessions and I don’t think I’m prepared for it.

“I want to help players, to bring the right players to the clubs in Europe.

“Because I played in Germany, I played in Holland, I played here for a long time. I know the kind of players that the clubs need and I can bring the right players to them as well.

“I used to speak to young players in Brazil and their parents, they would see me and they know my history in England and Europe they say, ‘please help him you are the right person.’”