“The title is back where it belongs” | OneFootball

The national basketball title “is back where it belongs.” After beating Benfica 3-1 and winning the 13th trophy in the blue-and-white honors list, the National Champions highlighted “the grit, the desire and the fight” that now allow them to “be part of history.”

After putting up 31 points and three assists in the fourth and decisive clássico of the final, Corey Allen gave thanks “for being part of this team and for feeling the support of the fans,” while Tanner Omlid, who struggled with physical issues in the last quarter and came back on through pain, said he felt “on top of the world” – “today there is no pain. Tomorrow we’ll see.”

Captain Miguel Queiroz summed up the whole season in a single statement: “There’s a saying that a crooked stick is late or never straightened, but we need to make a change. It takes a lot of character to put egos aside when things go as badly as they did at the start of the season and reach the final playing the way we played today. It was a great team victory. There were many fans who stopped believing in us throughout the season, largely because of us, and there was even one fan who told me he could no longer watch our games because he no longer believed in us, and today he is in the stands. Thank you for believing again, because that meant a lot to us.”

Corey Allen“I feel good. I’m very grateful to be part of this team and to feel the support of these fans. We won the championship, it’s my first championship ever, so I feel great. I had a great game, I already felt this was going to happen sooner or later. I’m the most laid-back guy in the locker room, but I have teammates who are crazier and I try to keep up. It’s going to be a celebration to remember.”

Tanner Omlid“I feel great. Today there is no pain. Tomorrow we’ll see, but today I feel on top of the world. We wanted the fans to celebrate every point on their feet, the energy was fantastic and I loved the atmosphere. In recent years we weren’t happy at the end. It feels good to be happy. It was a tough game, but we stayed together and we did it.”

Miguel Queiroz“There’s a saying that a crooked stick is late or never straightened, but we need to make a change. It takes a lot of character to put egos aside when things go as badly as they did at the start of the season and reach the final playing the way we played today. It was a great team victory. I arrived here 13 years ago, I came, I saw and I conquered. Our first goal was to reach the League and we did it, then we won it right away in the first year. Ten years went by and my biggest victory was feeling that I had to be better to win a title again for FC Porto. It was a challenge I created within myself. I wanted to bring the title back to FC Porto, to the Porto fans, to myself and to my family, who suffer so much and like to see me happy. That was my mission and it was completed today. The title is back where it belongs and I am very proud. This was my biggest victory. I never gave up, I wanted to be champion and we did it. I want to thank this crowd. There were many fans who stopped believing in us throughout the season, largely because of us, and there was even one fan who told me he could no longer watch our games because he no longer believed in us, and today he is in the stands. Thank you for believing again, because that meant a lot to us. I also want to thank everyone who worked with us. It’s a happy day. For me it’s more relief than happiness. It’s a weight off my shoulders, but the stones that were in the baggage are going onto a shelf so I don’t forget them. We’re going to celebrate, we’re happy. Every point I score that helps FC Porto become champions is important. I’m happy to help the team. I had a good season. The team fought very hard to finish like this and I’m truly very happy.”

Vlad Voytso“Ten years ago I watched the final game sitting in the west stand. Thanks to that energy, becoming champion for FC Porto became a dream, and I’m very happy to have lived this with the fans and with my team. It wasn’t a pretty year, but it was a year we ended with good feelings. We are National Champions and we owe all of this to our fans, our families, our friends and those who believed in us. It’s a wonderful feeling. I dreamed of this since I was little and I’m happy to achieve a goal that was set from the start. We had to come together and show that we are FC Porto. That energy spread to us. We were all in the same boat, we all rowed in the same direction and we came out victorious. Nothing was given to us. Reaching the end and winning is an indescribable feeling.”

Miguel Maria“It’s fantastic to be Champion in front of the people I love most and at the club of my heart. We suffered a lot during the season, but we finished well, which was the most important thing. I’m very happy. When I came here 20 years ago I was champion at youth level, and today being able to become National Champion again with the senior team is a very rewarding feeling. Corey Allen showed that he is a tremendous player, but our strength is the collective. Nobody gave us a chance, but we stayed united and became champions the Porto way, with grit, desire and fight. As the president said, 2025/26 was a fantastic season for FC Porto and we are part of history.”

Cornelius Hudson“I am blessed. This is a great group and I couldn’t be prouder of everyone. We stayed together and we are blessed. Basketball is my passion. I’m very lucky to be here. This is the best feeling of all. I am blessed.”

Gonçalo Delgado“It was very difficult to get here and beat a team that competes so well. We are very happy with what we achieved. It was a special triumph for everyone. FC Porto had not been champions for many years. There are no words to explain it. We had very good moments, and very bad ones too, but even so we managed to win.”

Jhonathan Dunn“The fact that we were able to get here and finish the job is fantastic. We are Champions. Our captain is one of the craziest when it comes to celebrating.”

Robbie Beran“The Porto fans are unbelievable. I never get tired of talking about them. The game ended a long time ago and they are still here celebrating with us, just as they did throughout the season, even with all the ups and downs. We grew a lot, we knew we could play better and that’s what we did. Benfica play very well and have a great coach, but we were better and we stayed together.”

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