“It’s an honour to wear this badge on my chest” | OneFootball

David Rodrigues arrives at FC Porto for the 2026/27 futsal season with the responsibility of someone who recognizes the weight of the shirt and the ambition of someone seeing a long-held dream come true. Porto’s tenth signing spoke about his desire to win, his connection to the sport, and his expectations of making his debut in front of the fans. Faced with the challenge ahead, he assured: “I want to win, give everything on the court, and honor the shirt.”

As he enters a new stage in his career, David Rodrigues does not hide his satisfaction at wearing blue and white. The futsal player places high standards at the heart of his message, balancing the duty to deliver on the court with the desire to make this opportunity a defining moment.

Asked about what it means to wear the FC Porto shirt, the new signing was direct in the way he views the responsibility. His eagerness for the start of the season comes hand in hand with a promise of total commitment.

“I feel happy and fulfilled,” he said. “Wearing this shirt is a huge responsibility and I’m eager for the season to begin. I want to win, give everything on the court, and honor the shirt.”

In his words, there is no room to treat his arrival at the Club as a symbolic gesture. David Rodrigues takes the weight of the badge as the starting point for what he wants to offer in matches.

The pride of representing FC Porto also runs through the way he looks back on a goal he has carried with him since childhood. For the player, the opportunity has personal meaning, but it also demands a daily response.

“It’s a source of pride to wear this badge on my chest. Everyone would like to wear this shirt,” he stressed. “It’s a dream, and now it’s up to me to give my best and work so the season goes well. Everyone hopes to have this opportunity one day. Wearing this shirt is the fulfillment of a childhood dream.”

Emotion does not replace obligation; it fuels it. The dream come true is presented as a commitment to hard work and to a season he wants to experience to the fullest.

When he imagines his debut, David Rodrigues pictures a scene of togetherness with the fans and collective ambition. The image he paints is of a team ready to show what it is worth.

“I imagine a full house and everyone hugely eager to show their work in pursuit of victory and to do their best for the Club.”

The expectation, then, is for a packed arena and a performance on the court to match it. Victory appears as the objective, but also as the result of the commitment the player is already promising.

Futsal holds a central place in David Rodrigues’s journey and identity. Even the number he chose to wear has its own story, linked to his early days in the sport and to a personal idol.

“Futsal is my life and a great passion,” he explained. “The number 80 is special; I’ve worn it since I was very young and it’s a number I identify with and like, because it belonged to one of my idols and it has that meaning.”

Choosing 80 is not just a dressing-room detail. It is a clear link to a long-standing passion, now carried into a challenge of greater demands.

FC Porto’s approach left no room for hesitation. David Rodrigues described a decision made naturally, backed by the stature he recognizes in the Club.

“I felt very happy and didn’t think twice,” he admitted. “It was a very easy decision to make. The Club speaks for itself.”

His excitement at being called explains how quickly he responded. For the futsal player, the name FC Porto alone was enough to turn the possibility into certainty.

Before this move, there was a departure from home that marked both his career and personal life. His time on Terceira Island, at the age of 18, is remembered as a decisive step toward professionalism.

“The most memorable moment of my career was when, at 18, I left home and went to live alone on Terceira Island. It was an opportunity that came up and an important step because I started working as a professional,” he said. “It’s what everyone who plays the sport aims for, so it was a special milestone in my life.”

That experience remained a moment of growth and of moving up a level. The independence it required and his entry into the professional game help explain the maturity with which he now embraces this new challenge.

David Rodrigues also brings memories from a spell in football, a sport from which he identifies a clear legacy. Without confusing the two games, he finds points of contact between them.

“What I brought from football was the physical side, because football is a more physical game in which you run more kilometers. They are different sports, but I believe one complements the other.”

The physical component is, for the player, a tool that carries over from one setting to the other. The adaptation between the two sports is seen as complementary, not as opposition.

To the fans, David Rodrigues sends a clear call to support the team throughout the season. On the other side, he promises effort to turn that support into a run of victories.

“I hope the fans show up throughout the season, because we will do everything on our side so that by the end we are National Champions and win as many matches as possible.”

The message closes with the meeting point between the stands and the court. David Rodrigues is aiming for the national title and as many wins as possible, acknowledging that ambition will have to be matched by hard work.

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