“I’m a player who gives everything and leaves it all on the pitch” | OneFootball

Guilherme Borges is the new pivot for FC Porto’s handball team and could not be happier “to sign for a club of this size and to have the chance to play in the Champions League,” something that makes him feel “very fulfilled and eager to get started.” Convinced that “this is a big step in [his] career,” the 27-year-old Brazilian international describes himself as “a player with a lot of commitment, grit, and who leaves everything on the court”: “The fans will see a player who may make a few mistakes, but who will never stop giving 100%.”

Excitement about the new challenge“I’m very happy, this is a big step in my career. Signing for a club the size of FC Porto and having the chance to play in the Champions League makes me very happy, fulfilled, and eager to get started.”

The conditions at Dragão Arena“The conditions the Club provides for its athletes are very important for us to be well prepared for matches. All of that impressed me—the atmosphere that can be created here, the facilities for the athletes… here I have everything I need to have a great season and to be well prepared for the big challenges.”

An immediate choice“When I found out about FC Porto’s interest, I did everything possible to come here. When a club of this size shows interest, we feel grateful and want it to happen right away.”

Ambition in every competition“FC Porto immediately caught my attention and that was an important factor in my coming here. Of course, the Club’s project is also very important, just as fighting for titles and always being at the top is important. That was crucial for me to be here.”

Gratitude for the opportunity“Even though I had a contract with another team for this season, I did everything possible to come to FC Porto. My family also really liked the idea of living in Portugal, so we did everything to make it possible. Then FC Porto reached an agreement with the French team and with me. We all made an effort for this to happen, so all that remains for me is to thank the Club and say that I’m very happy with this opportunity.”

How he defines himself“I’m a player with a lot of commitment, a lot of grit, and who leaves everything on the court for the full 60 minutes. The fans will see a player with a lot of energy who may make a few mistakes, but who will never stop giving 100%. I have my qualities, I know that, but my greatest quality is my commitment, my energy, and always giving everything at both ends of the court, both in defense and in attack. I hope to help the Club a lot with that energy and commitment.”

A pivot in service of the team“I will work for the good of the team. Pivots have an important role within the team, but the most important thing is to work for the group in whatever is needed and whatever the coach asks for; all of that helps improve the team game. If I have to finish a game without scoring a single goal, but help the team in other ways, then so be it, because the most important thing is for FC Porto to get as many wins as possible and fight to always be at the very top.”

Ready for the big challenges“Portuguese handball has grown a lot in recent years and that can be seen in international competitions. Portugal’s national team is one of the best teams in the world and that says a lot about the Portuguese league, which has many young and promising players, but also more experienced players with plenty of talent. I expect a big challenge, because I know the quality that exists here. At FC Porto we have the challenge of being the best team of all, so the demands will be very high, but we have to fight to bring joy to the fans and try to win titles, which is what matters when you represent a club as big as FC Porto.”

Experience gained abroad“In Spain I grew as a player; that’s where I took my first steps in European handball and where I learned a lot of tactical aspects. In France, because the league is very demanding physically, I also took a step forward in that regard. I can bring a bit of everything, and I hope I can help the whole team, because I’m arriving with major challenges at domestic and European level. I hope I can contribute in every phase of the game, which is what matters most at FC Porto.”

Reuniting with former teammates“I’ve already had the opportunity to play with Antonio Martínez and Miguel Oliveira at Ademar León, so they are two teammates I already know. I’ve also had the opportunity to play against some of the others and I know this Club has a very strong group of athletes who perform at the highest level. It’s a strong, young group with plenty of ambition to achieve great things at domestic and European level.”

A decision without hesitation“When I spoke with them, they told me to come right away. They spoke very highly of the Club, the setup, and the city. I only heard good things about Porto, both about the Club and the city. The most important thing was getting here; now that I’m here, I hope to help in the best way possible.”

On Carlos Martingo“I haven’t had the chance to speak with the coach yet. I know he has just taken over the team and is working on a new project, but I believe we’ll talk in the coming weeks, when he returns from the national team he is coaching. I believe he will bring good things to FC Porto and I hope I can help him this season.”

The other pivots“They are two very strong pivots. I’ve already seen Ricardo Brandão playing for the national team; he is young, but he is very good and has a lot of quality. As for Daymaro Salina, there’s hardly anything that needs to be said—he is one of FC Porto’s big figures and is well known in international handball, so I hope to learn a lot from him. I’m sure we’ll make an interesting trio of pivots this season.”

Ambition for the season“Being here, the goal is always to win every competition we play in, whether it’s the league or the cup. At European level, our ambition has to be to reach the next stage. We know we have a very complicated group, with great teams on the European scene, but I think we have to go step by step. I already know it will be difficult, but we have to try, and you never know whether we might dream of big things this year.”

A message for the fans“I hope they will be with us throughout the season. We need the fans to give us strength in every game, whether in league matches, the classics, or European nights. I hope they will be with us on our journey, because we need them for this to be a great season. They can be sure that there will be a lot of commitment and a lot of desire to put FC Porto in the best place possible.”

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