“FC Porto are back where they belong” | OneFootball

André Villas-Boas traveled to Monção, “a city full of Porto supporters and a territory that should be dominated by Porto supporters,” to experience “a wonderful night,” marking the 25th anniversary of Casa FC Porto – Monção, on an occasion that made “FC Porto’s expansion in the North” clear.

In a light-hearted mood, the “FC Porto Conversion Department” was even created to welcome the mayor, and the Dragons’ leader highlighted “20% annual growth in membership,” also recalling that winning the 31st National Championship “makes FC Porto currently the Club with the most titles in national football” — “internationally we already know, nationally it is FC Porto” — before thanking them for the gift of a painting featuring the number two, which “means the Porto spirit, sweat, blood, sweat and tears”: “The presence of this number expresses a lot of what we are, a people who resist, a Porto spirit that resists, that fights, that wins, that endures, that is demanding, that always wants to win, that wants to be victorious.”

“I will finish by saying that FC Porto, after four years, returned to the place it should never leave, and that is why we want to work harder and harder so that we never let go of this first place again,” concluded André Villas-Boas, convinced that everyone “wants more”: “Together we achieved it and together we move forward again, toward one more.”

25 years of devotion to FC Porto“I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for this wonderful night in which we feel the full Porto spirit of what FC Porto’s expansion in the North means, here in Monção, in a celebration of 25 years of an altruistic spirit, not only from president António Simões, but also from the people who launched this Casa FC Porto – Monção initiative, surely well rewarded in 2007 with the Golden Dragon for all its effort and for all the contribution it has made to FC Porto’s growth, to its membership base, its supporters, and this presence in the region, as president António Simões says. We are the only club among the big three with a supporters’ house in Monção, and that sets us apart greatly, lifts us greatly, and marks Monção as a great city full of Porto supporters and a territory that should be dominated by Porto supporters.”

A passion that stretches from North to South“I would like to begin this speech by returning my thanks for the words of president António Barbosa and telling him right away that he has all of FC Porto’s DNA. When he said he deeply regrets not being a Porto supporter, he summed up his wish to be one. I want to tell him from the bottom of my heart that his father will not take it badly, even though he was a Sporting supporter. We all want to pass our club on to our children, but to see such conviction, such a deep desire, and then a man who defends the North so firmly, who knows the difficulties the North increasingly faces in asserting itself in the national territory, I think the “FC Porto Conversion Department” is going to open and the president will be member number one. Joking aside, I want to thank you for your altruism, your hospitality, your kindness, and also that of Solar de Serrade in welcoming so many Porto supporters. This expression of FC Porto began 25 years ago in Praça Deu-la-Deu, with the presence of great Porto supporters, 400 of them, many of whom must also be here today. This is Porto reinforcement, it is our love for blue and white.”

Unprecedented membership growth“We began the season with a scarf that said ‘We Move Forward Together’ and we turned that into ‘Together We Did It.’ I think FC Porto has grown a great deal in recent years, especially in terms of membership. We are growing 20% a year, and that comes very much from this spirit that is passed from one to another and from these triumphs, from this magnificent trophy that makes FC Porto currently the Club with the most titles in national football, because internationally we already know, but nationally it is FC Porto. It is something we can be proud of.”

The painting with the number 2“Following on from everything here, this magnificent work, which I will be very pleased to display at the FC Porto Museum, I would then like to place it a little closer to me, near the entrance to my offices, because this number two means not only João Pinto and Jorge Costa, but many others as well. It means the Porto spirit, sweat, blood, sweat and tears, obviously. It is the only reason we have red numbers on our shirts. It is the soul of FC Porto, it is our DNA, they are people who transformed FC Porto by giving everything, sweating for the shirt like no one else. We have unique images left to us by João Pinto and Jorge Costa, people we always look to as the ultimate meaning of what it is to be a Porto supporter, together with Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa, and the presence of this number expresses much of what we are: a people who resist, a Porto spirit that resists, that fights, that wins, that endures, that is demanding, that always wants to win, that wants to be victorious, and these principles and these values are very well expressed here in this painting. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. So, I will donate it to the Museum, as the president of FC Porto should do, then I will bring it a little closer to me, because looking at this number and what it means to us is very important. It also stands for many other people who gave a lot to FC Porto, first and foremost our president, of course, but it also stands for Pedroto, Sérgio Conceição, Fernando Santos, Bobby Robson, many coaches, many people who with me won European titles, two of whom are here by my side, Rolando and Helton, who also conquered Europe, 15 years ago this year. All of this distinguishes FC Porto as the Club with the most international titles, and it is something that makes our history very proud.”

Francisco Araújo“I want to thank you for this wonderful night, which was also only possible because of a man like Francisco Araújo, who has always been by my side, who has never let go of me in the expansion of FC Porto’s membership life and the FC Porto Houses, which he has energized. Of course, Francisco has imposed his rules; he is a man from the military world, highly demanding, and being as demanding as he is, he lays down the rules, but always with one purpose and a greater good, which is FC Porto’s growth and that of our membership base. I would also like to ask for a round of applause for him, because I think he has done a good job.”

Together we did it“I will finish by saying that FC Porto, after four years, returned to the place it should never leave, and that is why we want to work harder and harder so that we never let go of this first place again. It is a place that belongs to us, where we feel good, and that is why it is important to keep our foundations, keep the team strong, thank a group of players who were unique this season, who despite many changes knew perfectly well what FC Porto is. Those who were able to witness that first presentation match at the Dragão Stadium, against Atlético de Madrid, felt a different atmosphere, even taking into account that we were coming off a very difficult season. We moved forward together so that together we could achieve it. It was this whole unique understanding by this group of players and the coach of what FC Porto’s mystique is that delivered us this 31st title, but we want more. So, together we did it, together we move forward again, toward one more. Long live FC Porto.”

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