William Gomes on Jorge Costa: “Club World Cup changed everything” | OneFootball

William Gomes has scored in three straight games for FC Porto and already has 12 goals this season, which he considers “the best of my career.” In an interview with Globoesporte, the Dragons’ Brazilian winger spoke about the difficult adaptation to moving to the right side of the attack and also recalled the conversations he used to have with Jorge Costa.

“The season has been very good, the best of my career. A lot of positive things are happening, many of them I had already planned at the start of the season. I believe I’m going through a great spell, a great moment, and that’s something I always want to chase: score my goals and help the team. I was happy in the last few matches, and the support from the fans is rewarding, because you see that your work is being valued and recognized. It’s a huge pleasure,” began the number 7 of the blue and whites.

“Everyone goes through an adaptation period, and it isn’t easy. For some it’s smoother, for others more turbulent. My start at FC Porto was not what I expected. I imagined I would play more, the team also wasn’t doing that well in the league, so things were complicated. But I kept training hard and talking a lot with people at the club. I spoke a lot with Jorge Costa, who passed away, and he always told me it was normal to go through that adaptation period, that I should keep working the way I was, because things would happen little by little. I kept working harder and harder and, at the Club World Cup, I got my first opportunity as a starter. That was the turning point, because I realized I was ready. At the start of this season, I managed to keep up what I had done in that moment,” stressed William, also explaining why he feels “more comfortable playing on the right.”

“It’s a position I’ve always wanted to play in. I spent practically all my youth development on the left, with a few games on the right, but most of the time playing on the left. Even so, I always wanted to play on the right. With coach Farioli’s arrival and after Pepê’s injury [in August], I moved to the right and adapted well. I spoke with him [Farioli] and told him I felt more comfortable there. It’s a position where I feel good, playing on the right side of the pitch. Of course I can also play on the left, I feel good there, but my preference is on the right, because I believe I have more creativity on that side,” explained the Brazil youth international.

More quotes from William Gomes

Working with Thiago Silva at FC Porto: “He’s an idol for all of us. I also talk a lot with Pepê, who is one of my friends here at the club, and we always get a little nervous and excited when we’re next to Thiago, because it’s not something normal, it doesn’t happen all the time. He has helped us a lot, and me in particular. In the last game, for example, he helped me a lot, always passing on his experience, guiding me on what to do and what we need to improve. We’ve been able to have that exchange of ideas, that connection, and he has contributed very positively since arriving at FC Porto.”

Mental side and preparation: “The mental side is the most important in football. If you’re not mentally well, things don’t happen. So it’s something I try to work on a lot in my day-to-day life, so that everything flows in the best way possible. In Portugal, my routine is basically this: in the morning, I go to the club and spend between four and six hours there every day. Then I go back home, follow my routine, sometimes do something with my parents or my brother. After that, I do my recovery work, which is something I do daily, because I believe it helps a lot. Football goes far beyond the four lines. I think all players need to prepare more and more, because training isn’t only done on the pitch. I even tell my parents that I live football intensely. This is what I do every day: my preparation work and mental work. It’s something that helps me a lot.”

Celebration against Stuttgart: “I play a lot with my friends. FIFA, Free Fire and other games... The night before, already in camp, on matchday, we were playing in the afternoon, me, my brother and two other friends. Then they gave me the idea: ‘If you score, grab the corner flag and put it on the ground,’ which is an animation in Free Fire. When I scored, it was the first thing that came to mind. It was something planned. A lot of my celebrations come from my friends, and I even joke with them: ‘My job is to score, you sort out the rest. When you see a good celebration, send it to me and I’ll do it in the game.’”

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