Vasco Sousa putting in six hours a day on recovery work | OneFootball

“Why? How is it possible? These are the questions that won't leave my mind during yet another difficult moment. But it's also the strength, the will, and the fighting spirit that make me not turn away from another battle. I will show, once again, that I am in this life to win, to surpass myself, and to believe. I know I will succeed because I will never be alone in any of the battles I still have ahead.” These words from Vasco Sousa were published on social media after the new injury he suffered in December while playing for Moreirense, the club where he was on loan from FC Porto, when he fractured the fibula in his right leg again – an injury that had already occurred with the blue and whites against Farense in February 2025.

After the surgical intervention, Vasco Sousa was struck by compartment syndrome, which prolonged his hospital stay to 39 days and forced him to spend New Year's hospitalized. This syndrome occurs when muscle groups become rigid, compromising blood circulation and causing ischemia, with intense pain, swelling, and hardening in the affected area. The infection led to about twenty trips to the operating room for drainage, aiming to halt its spread and avoid more severe complications in the leg; in the last surgery, a skin graft was necessary to close the wound.

His girlfriend, Joana Guise, shared a video and a long text on social media praising Vasco's silent strength during this period of great suffering, a gesture that touched the football community and prompted messages of support from various members of FC Porto and other teams. The midfielder has been working about six hours a day at the club's training center during the recovery phase. After the FC Porto–Gil Vicente match, Gil Vicente's coach César Peixoto also offered words of encouragement, pointing to a stronger return to the field, recalling the complicated injuries he faced in his career.

Also on social media, Pepe, Richard Ríos, Helton, Otávio, Diogo Dalot, Rodrigo Mora, Alberto Costa, Gonçalo Inácio, André Franco, Ukra, Varela, and many others expressed support for Vasco Sousa, whose return to the field is not expected before the end of the season.

In a Porto Canal report, aired after the recovery from the first injury to his right leg – a bimalleolar injury with a fracture in the malleolus and ligament damage in the ankle suffered against Farense in February 2025 –, Vasco Sousa highlighted the character and spirit of sacrifice that define him. “I may make mistakes, I may not play well, but the commitment must always be there. The mystique of FC Porto is the grit and determination I learned from the older players,” said the midfielder when asked about the fighting spirit with which he faces challenges. The commitment shown in the post-operative period led the club's officials to carefully manage his recovery process.

At 22 years old, Vasco Sousa faces this challenge off the field with the support of FC Porto – a club with which he has a contract until 2030 and a release clause of 50 million euros –, and his close circle, namely his family and girlfriend Joana Guise, who provide him some peace during this sensitive phase of his career.

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