Middlesbrough FC boo-boy has had Riverside U-turn - Michael Carrick might not have a more beloved player | OneFootball

Neto Borges endured a highly challenging start to his Middlesbrough career, but now, he's got the whole of Teesside firmly in his corner.

From boo-boy to beloved - Middlesbrough defender Neto Borges has been enjoying quite the Riverside Stadium turnaround in recent weeks.

The 28-year-old arrived in the summer transfer window from French side Clermont Foot, in a deal understood to have been worth around £1.3m.

“We’re really pleased to bring Neto in,” said Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick at the time. "He’s got good experience, he’s a good character, and he’s a very good addition to our squad.”

Having played 61 times in Ligue 1 for Clermont over the last two seasons, optimism was high on Teesside that Boro had secured the signing of a player who could finally put an end to the club's search for a left-back of the future.

Borges endures challenging start to his debut season with Middlesbrough

However, for the first few months of his Middlesbrough career, Borges endured a Riverside nightmare.

Defensive struggles, being at fault for a number of goals and an obvious lack of confidence and belief made his transition from French football to the English second tier anything but smooth.

As a result, the Brazilian quickly became a target of fan frustration over his performances, with sections of the fanbase already having written him off as a failed piece of recruitment.

Speaking in an interview with the club website via The Northern Echo, Borges opened up on his testing first few months as a Middlesbrough player.

"First when I arrived expectations were high," he said. "Boro are a big club, I was very excited to join the club but things didn't work out for the first four or five months.

"Emotionally and on the pitch I wasn't myself. I was talking to my wife during the first six months and saying I can't be myself and show the emotion I normally show.

"I wasn't playing with that fire. It felt hard for me. I was struggling in games. I understand the frustration of the fans and why they didn't like me to start with.

"The weather was a big, big problem for me. At 4pm it was dark and I wasn't used to it. But I came here to play football and I started focusing on that. It was a hard six months but now things are in a better place."

With popular former loan star Ryan Giles returning to Middlesbrough on 23 January, Borges was quickly relegated to the bench, with Carrick opting to side with the left-back he once got so much out of during his 2022/23 campaign on Teesside.

This could've been when Borges drifted away into the Riverside shadows, but instead, it would help act as the catalyst for his Boro revival.

Middlesbrough's injury crisis has paved way for Borges' Boro U-turn

Having been benched for defeats against Sunderland and Sheffield United respectively, and with Giles putting in two disappointing performances upon his return to the club, Borges was handed another chance.

Middlesbrough may have lost the following two games to Watford and Bristol City, but after the full-time whistle at Ashton Gate in particular, Boro's Brazilian showcased what all Teessiders want to see more than anything from those who wear their club's badge on their chest - passion.

Boro then headed into a must-win matchday 31 trip to relegation-threatened Stoke City, with Carrick's job potentially on the line if his side dropped to a sixth-straight defeat.

That wouldn't be the case, however, as Middlesbrough ran out 3-1 winners, on a night where Borges put in one of his best performances of the season.

Over the following few games, injuries would begin to pile up in the centre of Middlesbrough's defence, with Rav van den Berg, George Edmundson and Dael Fry all unavailable by the time Boro faced QPR on 11 March.

That meant Borges, and a 36-year-old and far from fully fit Jonny Howson, would have to form a makeshift centre-back pairing. Supporters watched on in disbelief, but not because of how bad things were; quite the opposite, in fact.

The pair put in an immense display of resilience and overcoming adversity. Boro fans had long fallen in love with Howson given the fact he's been starring for the club since 2017, but for Borges, it was a night that truly earned him a place in the hearts of Middlesbrough fans.

With every throw-in, corner, tackle and free-kick won, a great big Brazilian roar echoed around the Riverside. Every gesticulation towards the crowd urging them to crank up the volume levels was met with a response.

As such, Middlesbrough fans now celebrate at the sight of seeing him on the teamsheet - quite the opposite reaction to earlier in the season.

Borges' demonstration of passion and desire to play for the badge has been a breath of fresh air, and should he carry on doing so, it won't be long before he reaches cult hero status on Teesside.