eyewitness
Since the turn of the millennium,
Porto can lay undisputed claim to
the crown of the most successful
club in European competition outside
the continent’s four richest leagues,
adorning their trophy cabinet with an
array of international silverware that
istheenvyofallbuttheso-called
super-clubs, and which even betters
some of those. The dream now is that
the new iterations of Porto can emulate
the success of the exceptional teams
of the recent past, only this time not
with footballers bought from far-off
lands, but with local talent nurtured
in-house.
PORTO’S PEARLS
It may have been the most untypical
of seasons owing to the coronavirus
pandemic, but 2019-20 will forever
be etched in the memory of eight
young players who were given
their professional bow in top-level
football and ended the season
with a championship medal
around their necks.
Curiously, the highest hopes for
making it big are reserved for two
players who have featured less than
many were expecting this season.
Centre-back Diogo Leite is a regular
Portugal Under-21 international.
Porto stalwart Pepe knows a thing
or two about making a success of
that position, and he has no doubts
about the quality of his young
defensive partner.
“In my opinion, Leite is the best
central defender in Portugal,” says
the former Real Madrid man. “I see
a very rosy future for him. Provided
he remains focused and humble and
continues to assimilate everything
transmitted to him by the older players
and the coach, he will become a
reference point at our club and even
for Portugal. He’s a centre-back with
rare qualities: a superb left foot, fast,
strong,verygood atbringing the ball
out, and he reads the game well.”
Exciting attacking right-back
Tomas Esteves is another name that
has created a buzz in the world of
youth football. On the back of his
burgeoning reputation, for several
months it seemed Porto would lose
him as negotiations to extend his
contract dragged on, but inJune he
signed on the dotted line, with Porto
president Pinto da Costa announcing
the deal himself. “Lots of people have
been asking us to renew his contract,
but that’s not the reason we renewed
it. We renewed it because the coach
told me he has big expectations
of Esteves, he has a lot of quality
and enormous potential. Given his
passion for football and for our club,
everything is in place for things to
go well.”
Romario Baro is a combative and
technically-gifted holding midfielder
who started the season strongly,
until injuries halted his progress.
The Guinea-Bissau born player has
reportedly attracted interest from
Juventus and Real Madrid.
Darting striker Fabio Silva
became Porto’s youngest debutant
in a league match when he came
on as a substitute in the opening
match of the season against Gil
Vicente, three weeks after his17th
birthday. As the campaign progressed,
he subsequently became the youngest-
ever starter and the youngest-ever
scorer for the Dragons.Fabio Vieira took his bow after the
resumption of football and made an
immediate impact. The 226 minutes
granted to the stylish midfielder over
eight matches were enough for him
to score two goals and add an assist.
Goalkeeper Diogo Costa, midfielder
Vitor Ferreira and wingerJoao Mario
have all had limited opportunities so
far. However, none of the trio looked
overawed when given the chance to
turn out for the first team, and with
all three shining brightly for Portugal’s
youth teams over a number of years,
they will be knocking on the door
of the first team next season.
PName Position DOB (age) 2019-20
league games
Fabio Silva Striker 19/7/2002 (18) 12
Romario Baro Midfielder 25/1/2000 (20) 9
Diogo Leite Centre-back 23/1/1999 (21) 9
Vitor Ferreira Midfielder 13/2/2000 (20) 8
Fabio Vieira Midfielder 30/5/2000 (20) 8
Diogo Costa Goalkeeper 19/9/1999 (20) 3
Tomas Esteves Right-back 3/4/2002 (18) 2
Joao Mario Winger 3/1/2000 (20) 2Vitor FerreiraRomario Baro