UP: Joao Moutinho is almost 40 years old. And nobody is surprised by what he does on the field. Because it seems like he could be sitting in a chair on the field and still play well and do nothing wrong.
We all have a Joao Moutinho moment in our memory. The most famous is probably the penalty shootout against Poland at Euro 2016, when Cristiano Ronaldo convinced him to be one of the players called upon to take on such a responsibility. He must have lacked confidence… Go ahead and take one, you’re good at it, said Cristiano Ronaldo. And he did. And he took one well.
Finally, there will be those who remember the rotten apple moment = because selective memory is also influenced by individual passions (and there will also be those who remember him as Sporting’s captain at age 20!).
There will be those who remember the successive games with astonishing regularity at FC Porto, at Monaco (that Monaco of Leonardo Jardim!), the ability of a player whose stature was expected to play for Barcelona, and the Tiki-taka style of play to impose himself in the physical English football (and in a mid-table team, or even lower).
Or the ball recovery that ended up resulting in Eder’s unforgettable goal, his 1000th official match, and so much more.
I would like to highlight, however, what others have said about him = especially since João Moutinho did all this without unnecessary, flamboyant displays of personality. On the contrary: discreet.
For João Neves, Moutinho is “the most intelligent player he has ever played with.” For Ukra, he is simply “the best player he has ever played with.”
It is, without a doubt, one of the living proofs that football seems to be played with the feet, but is played with the head. And of how it’s more important to know how to run than to run a lot.
Moutinho started in one of the most important games in recent times for (injury-plagued) Sporting Braga. He made his presence felt. He played and made others play. He orchestrated the game, commanded the team, acting as an extension of the coach on the pitch. As he has done so many times before.
And he said he can play more often. If they need him.
He’s already won the Europa League once. It was against Braga. Will he be able to achieve another victory?
You have the right to dream. Because you dream well.