“At FC Porto I fell in love with football again” | OneFootball

On a “unique day” experienced in the “special place” where she “fell in love with playing football again”, Mariana Azevedo recalled “the beginning of a very beautiful journey” in FC Porto’s women’s team and, after renewing her contract, reinforced her desire to “honour the shirt as the Club deserves”. “It’s a feeling that only we know. I feel that this shirt carries a certain responsibility, and feeling that I made the fans happy is something inexplicable,” said the 30-year-old defender, determined to “play to the fullest for FC Porto and take the Club to the highest levels of women’s football”.

Total commitment“It’s a unique day. I think all players aspire to this and, above all, it is the beginning of a very beautiful journey. I hope to honour this shirt as the Club deserves.”

United from day one“When I arrived, we immediately had a match at Valadares’s presentation and I felt a really good spirit. I had just arrived, had only trained twice, and went straight into the game. At the time, Sofia (Silva) was injured and I took Mariana (Queirós)’s place, and she made a gesture that really stayed with me. She gave me a big hug, was the first to encourage me and to tell me what the coach wanted on the pitch. I think that says a lot about what our team is. We’re very close, we really like one another, and we’re always giving our all to make sure everything goes well.”

Her partner in central defence“Mariana Queirós is very mature. Her age says nothing about her. On the pitch, she looks like a fully mature player with many years of football behind her, and she’s a girl who likes to learn. She asks me things and I try to help, but I’ve also told her that she can give me some tips too, because I listen to her as well. I think that’s what works really well with her and with the other defenders. We all learn from one another and I think that’s what has been making us win.”

Rediscovering her love for football“I was coming off some difficult years, I had torn my ligaments and I wasn’t very happy in football, I wasn’t playing. At FC Porto I fell in love with playing football again, I found an incredible group again, and I found everything again. I was already very discouraged, I’m 30 years old and I was already thinking that maybe in another year or two I’d retire, but not now. After this season, which was very good, and after finding an incredible team, I got that taste for football back, the kind that sometimes gets lost a bit with professionalism.”

Wearing blue and white“It’s a feeling that only we know. I feel that this shirt carries a certain responsibility, and feeling that I made the fans happy is something inexplicable.”

The cup epic“For everything we did along this journey, of course sealing the league title was a special day, but I think people didn’t expect so much from us in the Portuguese Cup and I think that was what made us fight. In Guimarães, we were losing 2-0, we came together, and that took us through to Jamor. That was one of the most memorable moments because it showed our resilience.”

A family in the dressing room“I think that, above all, it’s to this team’s credit and that makes it special. I always say this team is special. I’ve been through many clubs, but I feel that this is a special place and I’m sure we’re going to have another good season and once again honour this shirt.”

Dreams to fulfil“When I was little, I dreamed of representing Portugal internationally. Now I dream of giving everything for FC Porto and taking FC Porto to the highest levels of women’s football.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.