João Teixeira: “The dream is to play for FC Porto’s first team” | OneFootball

Midfielder João Teixeira, 20, has renewed his contract with FC Porto until 2031, in an agreement he sees as “a vote of confidence and a sign of my work.” The young footballer says he wants to keep developing at the club, with the main goal of making his first-team debut at the Estádio do Dragão.

Teixeira, who has been progressing with the B team, acknowledges the difference between youth football and the professional game. “The step up from the under-19s to the B team is always a big one,” he said, adding that facing “men, adults, stronger and more experienced” has been crucial to his growth. The midfielder also recalled his debut for the reserve side two years ago, on the eve of his birthday, admitting he felt “a bit nervous.”

The player said he was pleased with the recent praise from Francesco Farioli, head coach of the first team, seeing those words as proof that his “work is being seen and recognized.” Although he has already been included in squads for Europa League matches, his debut has yet to happen, something that pushes him to “keep working to achieve it one day.”

For João Teixeira, opportunities to work with the first-team squad must be made the most of. “We have to give everything at every moment when we get the opportunities, because we don’t know when we’ll get another one,” he stressed, adding that the dream of any player coming through Porto’s academy is “to one day play for the first team.”

Looking ahead, the midfielder says he will keep the same ambition. “You’re going to see a João who will continue with the same desire to win and to improve,” he promised, determined to achieve the great goal of stepping onto the Dragão pitch in FC Porto’s first-team shirt.

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