Even though the Portuguese left Goa’s shore just over 50 years ago (in 1961), the Portuguese influence is still visible in the touristy state and the social and commercial links between the two states are still strong as ever. FC Goa’s three Portuguese players – Bruno Pinheiro, Edgar Marcelino and Miguel Herlein – and two other Portuguese speakers (Brazilian head coach Zico and midfielder André Santos) are savouring their experience in the former Portuguese colony. Thanks to his exploits in the Hero Indian Super League, the versatile Pinheiro has become as popular among the Goan fans as the globally renowned Zico and Santos. Pinheiro in fact has been overwhelmed by his ISL experience and has praised the league for giving him a chance to showcase his talent on the same stage as the game’s greatest stars. “It’s a fantastic opportunity for everyone, not just me, but the Indian players as well. For us to share the dressing room with legends like Pirès, Zico and Santos is amazing. They help us improve our skills and we have to improve ourselves when we train every day. To come to India is not a step back in my career. It has been a great experience so far,” the 27-year-old defender told indiansuperleague.com in an exclusive interview. Interestingly, Pinheiro’s lifelong idol is none other than the Italian legend Alessandro Nesta who turned out for Chennaiyin FC. “I always tried to copy his moves as a youngster. When I was young and played as a stopper, he was my reference. After I became a professional and moved into defensive midfield, I started looking at Xabi Alonso. The two of them are my references in football,” the ever-smiling Pinheiro revealed. Pinheiro has represented Portugal’s under-19, -20, -21 and -23 teams and like most professional footballers, started playing the game at a tender age. “I started playing football when I was six years old. I was part of one of the best youth academies in Portugal. I played here for 11 years and made my debut when I was 17,” he recalled. He faced problems early in his career when the club he was playing for experienced financial difficulties and was relegated to the third division which prompted him to emigrate. He continued his career in Cyprus and Poland before returning home three years later, but quickly moved on again to Thailand, Greece and finally India. Pinheiro has endeared himself to his coach and the Goa fans by playing in whatever position he was asked to for the good of the team. When asked what his ideal position on the pitch is, he replied, “It depends on the style of play of the team. If we’re playing possession football, I’d probably prefer playing in the midfield because I like to keep the ball and go forward. But when the other teams are playing defensively, like most teams have done against us, there’s more space at the back and I like to exploit that by playing as a stopper. I feel comfortable in both positions.” The former Boavista player, who has been amazed by the response of Goa’s fans, was moved by the reaction to the red card he received in their last league fixture away at Atlético de Kolkata. “I received thousands of messages from fans and people supporting me. That has only given me more encouragement to do better and to play well for them. So my main focus is on winning the title for the fans. I want to give all my heart, my blood and sweat to them for their support,” he declared. Pinheiro thinks that there are a lot of similarities between Goa and Portugal. “Some streets are very similar to those back home. And what I find most common is the hospitality of the people. The people here are simply amazing. To be honest, when I came here I didn’t expect such an experience. I pictured Indians to be slightly more reserved but this has been a good surprise for me. I feel very appreciated here and the people’s support, as I said earlier, has been vital to our success so far.”
