THEfonso Moreira gave an extensive interview to this Friday’s edition of the newspaper O Jogo, in which he anticipated a radiant future for Sporting, under the orders of Paulo Fonseca, the coach responsible for his ‘explosion’, at Olympique Lyon, in the last 2026/27 sporting season, when he scored eight goals and ten assists after 37 official games.
“One of the main reasons for me going to Lyon and for my subsequent success was that Paulo Fonseca was there. I also give great credit to the rest of the technical team, who will accompany him at Sporting. He is a coach who has always been very good at promoting young people, not just now”, began by stating the now Bayer Leverkusen player.
“He played a fundamental role in my development, both as a professional and as a person. I grew a lot with him and with the other members of the technical team. I’m looking forward to seeing him at my club”, he added, referring to the Portuguese-Mozambican as “a five-star person”, who will also make a difference on a personal level.
“More than a coach, he is a friend that each player will have there, and I say the same about the other members of the technical team, they are all five-star people, who create good relationships with the players. When he was at Lille, Paulo Fonseca made a promise to a player, he told him that he would go shopping with him if they won a game, and he did. That characterizes him, he will create a good relationship with everyone, in the dressing room”, he continued.
“Mister Paulo Fonseca is a coach with proven experience in European football, with experience at big clubs. He did a great job at Lyon, I had the opportunity to experience it. We know the greatness of Sporting and the responsibilities that Mister Paulo Fonseca will have at the club, I think he is 100% prepared”, he added.
“Paulo Fonseca has all the tools to do a good job with these players”
The Portuguese under-21 international also said he believes that Paulo Fonseca will be able to deal with the turbulent times Sporting is going through, the club where he completed his training: “”A coach is always under pressure, wherever he goes. But at Lyon, the pressure is always a little higher, even from the fans.”
“Lyon was once the biggest French club, it is going through a less good moment, Paulo Fonseca tried to rebuild the club and I think he did an excellent job, hence the results of the last year and a half, despite all the difficulties the club went through”, he highlighted, before ‘diagnosing’ the green and white reality.
“The squad had some important departures, and a lot of entries. The squad is full of talent, it has great players. Coach Paulo Fonseca has all the tools to do a good job with these players. It will depend on the technical team’s ideas for Sporting, but what will not be missing will be attitude. I expect a very strong team in duels, very offensive”, he added.
“It was thanks to Rui Borges that I made my debut in the Champions League”
Finally, Afonso Moreira made a point of making it clear that he does not forget the past: “I want to say a word of thanks to Rui Borges, it was thanks to him that I made my debut in the Champions League. He is an incredible coach, and an exemplary man. I wish him the greatest success in his football adventures”.
