Rodrigo Mora: “People always expect a bit more from me” | OneFootball

“A dream season? “Yes, I think so, without a doubt. I think last season went very well for me individually. This season, I think it was more collective, and it was a dream that I’ve said many times I wanted to fulfill, so I’m very happy to have won this league title. It was a dream. It’s something that when you grow up as a kid, you dream about, and now having this opportunity, with my family and my friends also able to be there by my side, I think that’s something very powerful and emotional for me. And I’m very happy and grateful to have won this title.””

Going from the academy to winning the title: “I think all the kids who play for FC Porto in the youth ranks dream of winning this title. I came here when I was very little, I always wanted to win titles at FC Porto, and winning this championship means a lot. And going to Aliados makes it even better.”

Most memorable match of the season: “It’s what we all talk about. I think the win at Alvalade says a lot about what this year was. Going there and winning at the home of the former champion. I think it really shows what that win meant. I think we controlled that game very well, and it was a very deserved victory, and I think it was the match that defined this season the most. Did it give us momentum for the rest of the season? Without a doubt. We knew perfectly well what our quality was, but I think an away win like that, honestly, was a very memorable match.”

Team spirit: “I think from the training camp we had in Austria at the start of the season, you could see that the unity in the team was something different, something beautiful to see, and I think that showed in the matches. And it was like that from the first to the last game. The team united. Various things happened during this season. Things we didn’t want to happen, but the team always stayed united. I think that’s what led us to this title. The secret was keeping the group together and not letting anything from outside get in, because maybe people talk too much. And it’s about not letting those things get in, because we know our quality, we know what we can do, what we can improve. So it was about focusing on ourselves, that’s what we said, and that’s what we managed to do.”

FC Porto culture: “The level of demand — for me, I like it. At FC Porto, the fans and the whole structure demand a lot. No matter what match it is, I think you could see that even now in the last game, already as champions, but even so, I think neither the fans nor we like losing. FC Porto is not used to losing, and that’s the reality.”

Where have you improved the most? “I think I’ve improved in many areas of the game, especially defensively, a lot. I worked a lot with the coach and the coaching staff to improve in that area, which was also something the coach wanted. I think I’m a more complete player, and I’ve improved a lot more in things I didn’t expect as much or didn’t know as well, but now I think I’m a more complete player, different from what I was last year. But yes, I’m happy to have improved a lot this year.”

People point to a promising future for you: “I don’t see any of that; for me it’s something calm. I think from the start people always expect something extra from me, but I try to play my football, and if people then speak well or badly, I don’t think that depends on me. What matters is that I play well, play for the group, and then whatever people say doesn’t matter.”

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