My dream was that my mum and dad could watch me on television. That dream came true. Even though they’re in Brazil I still have that dream, because I know it’s a way to be close to my mum and my loved ones. I feel blessed as their child and as a player.
Jorge helped me a lot because not only was he, along with Vítor Baía, considered a club legend, but he also made me realise what it means to wear the Porto shirt, what it means to be a Porto player. He was a beast, but he was our beast. He was a very important person for me because I remember that when I didn’t play, he always had encouraging words for me: don’t give up, keep working hard, make sure you’re ready when the manager does pick you.
Also, he used to have a bakery business and he made a point of bringing me bread every day, because he didn’t want me to go out so often. He wanted me to keep my focus. That was his way of looking out for me or, how should I say it… his way of protecting me and helping me to settle in at both the club and city.
Defending is my passion. It was my passion to defend Real Madrid. I looked to always give my best and to always carry the club’s mystique with me. I met a lot of great people during my time at Real Madrid over the years.
Yes, that’s what I wanted, I needed that in my career, I needed to feel that passion, that passion for football. That comes from the fans, and I wanted to leave Spain and head to Turkey to feel that passion again. I knew that going there would mean a different type of football and I loved my 18 months there, I loved living in Istanbul. The Turkish culture is wonderful, Istanbul is a city with a lot of history, the club had everything I wanted. It’s a club that I have a lot of affection for.
No doubt, I feel that passion. I’m very grateful because football gave me everything. I thank God every day, because I enjoy what I do. I always try to give it my all, with that same enthusiasm, that passion and discipline. That’s why I always put my heart and soul into it.
Well, there’s a sort of ethos, right? I have to pass on what Jorge taught me, you know? Because I believe that knowledge was passed on to him as well. I’m just trying to pass it on. This made me grow as a player, but also as an individual. I give my advice so that Diogo Leite and Chancel Mbemba can both grow as individuals and players.
I expect to win. We realise it’s going to be very tough. In my opinion they’ve got the best player in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo, so we have our work cut out for us. We’re still going to give it our best shot.
We play against the best, against the champions. That alone describes what the competition is all about. It’s a competition that puts lots of responsibility on players’ shoulders, and the players know the importance of the competition for their careers. So everything falls into place, everything fits, everything is wonderful when we hear the Champions League anthem and when we have to face teams like, for example, Juventus. They are huge matches and the closer we get to the final, the stronger the teams are. I feel happy to be playing in a knockout match against Juventus. For me, it’s going to be an awesome match.
Winning it. Winning it, because it’s a unique moment for us players. At club level, it’s still the peak. For my teammates here at Porto, to go to a Champions League final and then win it would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It’s something to tell your children, and your grandchildren, that experience that you have and the joy that you feel on that day.
My dream was that my mum and dad could watch me on television. That dream came true. Even though they’re in Brazil I still have that dream, because I know it’s a way to be close to my mum and my loved ones. I feel blessed as their child and as a player.
Jorge helped me a lot because not only was he, along with Vítor Baía, considered a club legend, but he also made me realise what it means to wear the Porto shirt, what it means to be a Porto player. He was a beast, but he was our beast. He was a very important person for me because I remember that when I didn’t play, he always had encouraging words for me: don’t give up, keep working hard, make sure you’re ready when the manager does pick you.
Also, he used to have a bakery business and he made a point of bringing me bread every day, because he didn’t want me to go out so often. He wanted me to keep my focus. That was his way of looking out for me or, how should I say it… his way of protecting me and helping me to settle in at both the club and city.
Defending is my passion. It was my passion to defend Real Madrid. I looked to always give my best and to always carry the club’s mystique with me. I met a lot of great people during my time at Real Madrid over the years.
Yes, that’s what I wanted, I needed that in my career, I needed to feel that passion, that passion for football. That comes from the fans, and I wanted to leave Spain and head to Turkey to feel that passion again. I knew that going there would mean a different type of football and I loved my 18 months there, I loved living in Istanbul. The Turkish culture is wonderful, Istanbul is a city with a lot of history, the club had everything I wanted. It’s a club that I have a lot of affection for.
No doubt, I feel that passion. I’m very grateful because football gave me everything. I thank God every day, because I enjoy what I do. I always try to give it my all, with that same enthusiasm, that passion and discipline. That’s why I always put my heart and soul into it.
Well, there’s a sort of ethos, right? I have to pass on what Jorge taught me, you know? Because I believe that knowledge was passed on to him as well. I’m just trying to pass it on. This made me grow as a player, but also as an individual. I give my advice so that Diogo Leite and Chancel Mbemba can both grow as individuals and players.
I expect to win. We realise it’s going to be very tough. In my opinion they’ve got the best player in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo, so we have our work cut out for us. We’re still going to give it our best shot.
We play against the best, against the champions. That alone describes what the competition is all about. It’s a competition that puts lots of responsibility on players’ shoulders, and the players know the importance of the competition for their careers. So everything falls into place, everything fits, everything is wonderful when we hear the Champions League anthem and when we have to face teams like, for example, Juventus. They are huge matches and the closer we get to the final, the stronger the teams are. I feel happy to be playing in a knockout match against Juventus. For me, it’s going to be an awesome match.
Winning it. Winning it, because it’s a unique moment for us players. At club level, it’s still the peak. For my teammates here at Porto, to go to a Champions League final and then win it would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It’s something to tell your children, and your grandchildren, that experience that you have and the joy that you feel on that day.
My dream was that my mum and dad could watch me on television. That dream came true. Even though they’re in Brazil I still have that dream, because I know it’s a way to be close to my mum and my loved ones. I feel blessed as their child and as a player.
Jorge helped me a lot because not only was he, along with Vítor Baía, considered a club legend, but he also made me realise what it means to wear the Porto shirt, what it means to be a Porto player. He was a beast, but he was our beast. He was a very important person for me because I remember that when I didn’t play, he always had encouraging words for me: don’t give up, keep working hard, make sure you’re ready when the manager does pick you.
Also, he used to have a bakery business and he made a point of bringing me bread every day, because he didn’t want me to go out so often. He wanted me to keep my focus. That was his way of looking out for me or, how should I say it… his way of protecting me and helping me to settle in at both the club and city.
Defending is my passion. It was my passion to defend Real Madrid. I looked to always give my best and to always carry the club’s mystique with me. I met a lot of great people during my time at Real Madrid over the years.
Yes, that’s what I wanted, I needed that in my career, I needed to feel that passion, that passion for football. That comes from the fans, and I wanted to leave Spain and head to Turkey to feel that passion again. I knew that going there would mean a different type of football and I loved my 18 months there, I loved living in Istanbul. The Turkish culture is wonderful, Istanbul is a city with a lot of history, the club had everything I wanted. It’s a club that I have a lot of affection for.
No doubt, I feel that passion. I’m very grateful because football gave me everything. I thank God every day, because I enjoy what I do. I always try to give it my all, with that same enthusiasm, that passion and discipline. That’s why I always put my heart and soul into it.
Well, there’s a sort of ethos, right? I have to pass on what Jorge taught me, you know? Because I believe that knowledge was passed on to him as well. I’m just trying to pass it on. This made me grow as a player, but also as an individual. I give my advice so that Diogo Leite and Chancel Mbemba can both grow as individuals and players.
I expect to win. We realise it’s going to be very tough. In my opinion they’ve got the best player in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo, so we have our work cut out for us. We’re still going to give it our best shot.
We play against the best, against the champions. That alone describes what the competition is all about. It’s a competition that puts lots of responsibility on players’ shoulders, and the players know the importance of the competition for their careers. So everything falls into place, everything fits, everything is wonderful when we hear the Champions League anthem and when we have to face teams like, for example, Juventus. They are huge matches and the closer we get to the final, the stronger the teams are. I feel happy to be playing in a knockout match against Juventus. For me, it’s going to be an awesome match.
Winning it. Winning it, because it’s a unique moment for us players. At club level, it’s still the peak. For my teammates here at Porto, to go to a Champions League final and then win it would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It’s something to tell your children, and your grandchildren, that experience that you have and the joy that you feel on that day.
My dream was that my mum and dad could watch me on television. That dream came true. Even though they’re in Brazil I still have that dream, because I know it’s a way to be close to my mum and my loved ones. I feel blessed as their child and as a player.
Jorge helped me a lot because not only was he, along with Vítor Baía, considered a club legend, but he also made me realise what it means to wear the Porto shirt, what it means to be a Porto player. He was a beast, but he was our beast. He was a very important person for me because I remember that when I didn’t play, he always had encouraging words for me: don’t give up, keep working hard, make sure you’re ready when the manager does pick you.
Also, he used to have a bakery business and he made a point of bringing me bread every day, because he didn’t want me to go out so often. He wanted me to keep my focus. That was his way of looking out for me or, how should I say it… his way of protecting me and helping me to settle in at both the club and city.
Defending is my passion. It was my passion to defend Real Madrid. I looked to always give my best and to always carry the club’s mystique with me. I met a lot of great people during my time at Real Madrid over the years.
Yes, that’s what I wanted, I needed that in my career, I needed to feel that passion, that passion for football. That comes from the fans, and I wanted to leave Spain and head to Turkey to feel that passion again. I knew that going there would mean a different type of football and I loved my 18 months there, I loved living in Istanbul. The Turkish culture is wonderful, Istanbul is a city with a lot of history, the club had everything I wanted. It’s a club that I have a lot of affection for.
No doubt, I feel that passion. I’m very grateful because football gave me everything. I thank God every day, because I enjoy what I do. I always try to give it my all, with that same enthusiasm, that passion and discipline. That’s why I always put my heart and soul into it.
Well, there’s a sort of ethos, right? I have to pass on what Jorge taught me, you know? Because I believe that knowledge was passed on to him as well. I’m just trying to pass it on. This made me grow as a player, but also as an individual. I give my advice so that Diogo Leite and Chancel Mbemba can both grow as individuals and players.
I expect to win. We realise it’s going to be very tough. In my opinion they’ve got the best player in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo, so we have our work cut out for us. We’re still going to give it our best shot.
We play against the best, against the champions. That alone describes what the competition is all about. It’s a competition that puts lots of responsibility on players’ shoulders, and the players know the importance of the competition for their careers. So everything falls into place, everything fits, everything is wonderful when we hear the Champions League anthem and when we have to face teams like, for example, Juventus. They are huge matches and the closer we get to the final, the stronger the teams are. I feel happy to be playing in a knockout match against Juventus. For me, it’s going to be an awesome match.
Winning it. Winning it, because it’s a unique moment for us players. At club level, it’s still the peak. For my teammates here at Porto, to go to a Champions League final and then win it would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It’s something to tell your children, and your grandchildren, that experience that you have and the joy that you feel on that day.
My dream was that my mum and dad could watch me on television. That dream came true. Even though they’re in Brazil I still have that dream, because I know it’s a way to be close to my mum and my loved ones. I feel blessed as their child and as a player.
Jorge helped me a lot because not only was he, along with Vítor Baía, considered a club legend, but he also made me realise what it means to wear the Porto shirt, what it means to be a Porto player. He was a beast, but he was our beast. He was a very important person for me because I remember that when I didn’t play, he always had encouraging words for me: don’t give up, keep working hard, make sure you’re ready when the manager does pick you.
Also, he used to have a bakery business and he made a point of bringing me bread every day, because he didn’t want me to go out so often. He wanted me to keep my focus. That was his way of looking out for me or, how should I say it… his way of protecting me and helping me to settle in at both the club and city.
Defending is my passion. It was my passion to defend Real Madrid. I looked to always give my best and to always carry the club’s mystique with me. I met a lot of great people during my time at Real Madrid over the years.
Yes, that’s what I wanted, I needed that in my career, I needed to feel that passion, that passion for football. That comes from the fans, and I wanted to leave Spain and head to Turkey to feel that passion again. I knew that going there would mean a different type of football and I loved my 18 months there, I loved living in Istanbul. The Turkish culture is wonderful, Istanbul is a city with a lot of history, the club had everything I wanted. It’s a club that I have a lot of affection for.
No doubt, I feel that passion. I’m very grateful because football gave me everything. I thank God every day, because I enjoy what I do. I always try to give it my all, with that same enthusiasm, that passion and discipline. That’s why I always put my heart and soul into it.
Well, there’s a sort of ethos, right? I have to pass on what Jorge taught me, you know? Because I believe that knowledge was passed on to him as well. I’m just trying to pass it on. This made me grow as a player, but also as an individual. I give my advice so that Diogo Leite and Chancel Mbemba can both grow as individuals and players.
I expect to win. We realise it’s going to be very tough. In my opinion they’ve got the best player in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo, so we have our work cut out for us. We’re still going to give it our best shot.
We play against the best, against the champions. That alone describes what the competition is all about. It’s a competition that puts lots of responsibility on players’ shoulders, and the players know the importance of the competition for their careers. So everything falls into place, everything fits, everything is wonderful when we hear the Champions League anthem and when we have to face teams like, for example, Juventus. They are huge matches and the closer we get to the final, the stronger the teams are. I feel happy to be playing in a knockout match against Juventus. For me, it’s going to be an awesome match.
Winning it. Winning it, because it’s a unique moment for us players. At club level, it’s still the peak. For my teammates here at Porto, to go to a Champions League final and then win it would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It’s something to tell your children, and your grandchildren, that experience that you have and the joy that you feel on that day.
My dream was that my mum and dad could watch me on television. That dream came true. Even though they’re in Brazil I still have that dream, because I know it’s a way to be close to my mum and my loved ones. I feel blessed as their child and as a player.
Jorge helped me a lot because not only was he, along with Vítor Baía, considered a club legend, but he also made me realise what it means to wear the Porto shirt, what it means to be a Porto player. He was a beast, but he was our beast. He was a very important person for me because I remember that when I didn’t play, he always had encouraging words for me: don’t give up, keep working hard, make sure you’re ready when the manager does pick you.
Also, he used to have a bakery business and he made a point of bringing me bread every day, because he didn’t want me to go out so often. He wanted me to keep my focus. That was his way of looking out for me or, how should I say it… his way of protecting me and helping me to settle in at both the club and city.
Defending is my passion. It was my passion to defend Real Madrid. I looked to always give my best and to always carry the club’s mystique with me. I met a lot of great people during my time at Real Madrid over the years.
Yes, that’s what I wanted, I needed that in my career, I needed to feel that passion, that passion for football. That comes from the fans, and I wanted to leave Spain and head to Turkey to feel that passion again. I knew that going there would mean a different type of football and I loved my 18 months there, I loved living in Istanbul. The Turkish culture is wonderful, Istanbul is a city with a lot of history, the club had everything I wanted. It’s a club that I have a lot of affection for.
No doubt, I feel that passion. I’m very grateful because football gave me everything. I thank God every day, because I enjoy what I do. I always try to give it my all, with that same enthusiasm, that passion and discipline. That’s why I always put my heart and soul into it.
Well, there’s a sort of ethos, right? I have to pass on what Jorge taught me, you know? Because I believe that knowledge was passed on to him as well. I’m just trying to pass it on. This made me grow as a player, but also as an individual. I give my advice so that Diogo Leite and Chancel Mbemba can both grow as individuals and players.
I expect to win. We realise it’s going to be very tough. In my opinion they’ve got the best player in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo, so we have our work cut out for us. We’re still going to give it our best shot.
We play against the best, against the champions. That alone describes what the competition is all about. It’s a competition that puts lots of responsibility on players’ shoulders, and the players know the importance of the competition for their careers. So everything falls into place, everything fits, everything is wonderful when we hear the Champions League anthem and when we have to face teams like, for example, Juventus. They are huge matches and the closer we get to the final, the stronger the teams are. I feel happy to be playing in a knockout match against Juventus. For me, it’s going to be an awesome match.
Winning it. Winning it, because it’s a unique moment for us players. At club level, it’s still the peak. For my teammates here at Porto, to go to a Champions League final and then win it would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It’s something to tell your children, and your grandchildren, that experience that you have and the joy that you feel on that day.
