Flopped at Benfica, reveals Mourinho's swipe: yesterday you were s*** | OneFootball

Sidny Lopes Cabral is still experiencing one of the most remarkable periods of his career. Currently representing Cape Verde at the 2026 World Cup, the midfielder started in the goalless draw against Spain, a result that surprised the international scene and confirmed the competitiveness of the African national team.

In an interview with the Spanish newspaper El Mundo, the player recalled the rapid transformation he has gone through in recent months. About a year ago, he was playing for Viktoria Cologne in the fourth tier of German football. Today, he is competing in a World Cup and preparing for a new challenge in Turkish football.

“Honestly, I don’t think I’ve fully taken it all in yet. Like you said, not long ago I was in the fourth division in Germany. Everything happened very quickly, and I’m still adjusting to everything that’s going on. Now I’m going to be at one of the best teams in Turkey and, at this moment, I’m playing in a World Cup. It’s a dream come true,” he added.

During the conversation, Sidny highlighted the importance of José Mourinho in his recent journey. It was the Portuguese coach who pushed for his signing at Benfica and opened the doors to top-level football for him. “He was very important in my career. He is one of the best coaches in history and had a huge influence on me,” he acknowledged.

The Cape Verde international believes he could have continued to grow under the Portuguese coach, but accepts that football does not always follow the desired path. “I think that if I had continued working with him, I would have reached my full potential, but because of life’s twists and turns, he is now at Real Madrid and I’m at Trabzonspor. Having been under his command was an honor,” he stressed.

“I remember one day when I didn’t play very well and the next day he came up to me and said, ‘Sidny, yesterday you played like shit.’ He always speaks to you frankly and is sincere. And when you play well, he tells you that too. Other coaches aren’t like that. They tell you something negative, but they try to soften it or turn it into a positive message. Mourinho doesn’t. He doesn’t care about telling you that to your face and telling you the truth. That is very important,” he concluded.

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