William Gomes recalls 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 his career.” In an interview with Globoesporte, the Brazilian winger for the Dragons 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 which I had already planned at the start of the season. I believe I’m going through a great spell, a great moment, and it’s something I always want to keep pursuing: scoring my goals and helping 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 for the blue and whites.

“Everyone goes through an adaptation period and it isn’t easy. For some it’s smoother, for others it’s more turbulent. My start at FC Porto was not how I expected. I imagined I would play more, the team also wasn’t doing so 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 working, 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 maintain what I had done at that moment,” William stressed, 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 said 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 for 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 talk a lot with Pepê as well, who is one of my friends here at the club, and we always get a little nervous and anxious 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 especially. 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 managed to have that exchange of ideas, that connection, and he has added a lot in a very positive way 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 really try to work on 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 doesn’t happen only 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, while we were in camp, on matchday, we were playing in the afternoon, me, my brother and two other friends. Then they came up with 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. My celebrations come a lot from my friends, and I even joke with them: ‘My job is to score, you take care of the rest. When you see a good celebration, send it to me and I’ll do it in the match.’”

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