By Jasmine Samuels

Website: http://thewhole90minutes.tumblr.com/

Twitter: @anysoundcloud

Why Futebol Clube do Porto?

The better question is why not Porto? Of course this doesn’t really answer the question so I’ll get to the question at hand. I was about 12 years of age, and my world, football wise had always been centered on English or Spanish football. Growing up almost on the outskirts of Indianapolis, football was a major pass time for the children who grew up in a place with vast amounts of open land. Old fields around the schools were all turned into football pitches (if they were not already in use as actual farmland) with the occasional American football field for the high school game on Friday nights. My childhood friends played football, something I didn’t do because of my lack of well putting it nicely, athletic ability. However, that didn’t stop me from being interested in the world of football outside of the confines of my family life which had always been about English football.

Obviously remembering back almost 10 years seems impossible for someone like me who forgets things after only minutes but remembering seeing a younger José Mourinho hold the reins at Porto is something that I could never forget. I began watching Porto through family which had previously taking a liking to one of Lisbon’s important factions, Sporting Clube de Portugal. Though Sporting being an interesting club itself I was known to flirt with the rival (case in point me being a Manchester United supporter despite my family’s dedication to Everton) so my happening to become an FC Porto supporter is nothing if not logical.

I found myself enthralled with the way Mourinho carried himself, the way he interacted with the media who always happened to play into his hands by asking questions that seemed to answer themselves. I guess I could say that José Mourinho is one of the deciding factors in why I became an FC Porto supporter, that and my need to be rebellious and look for the complete opposite of what my family feels is right for me.

Favourite Player?

My favourite player without question would have to be Vítor Baía. Helping FC Porto to 26 trophies in his career with the club that spanned over 20 years, he is a goalkeeper that is hard to forget. Although retired now, I find myself still reliving my favorite Vítor moments much to my friends dismay. I have fond memories of sitting close to the television hoping and praying that he’d save us during important games. Hoping that he would play at exceptional heights, and he never let me down. Without question he constantly brought me more laughter than any other player for Porto to date. One of the greatest moments by far includes Vítor Baía saving a goal from a naked pitch invader and security tackling the man to the ground. Despite the fact that obviously some strange naked man scoring a goal wouldn’t matter, Vítor played along anyway. His dedication to the game and also to charitable work makes him by far my all time favourite footballer and I don’t think another player, Porto or not can take his place.

Favourite Game?

Without question last season’s league winner. Going into a match I become very superstitious, everything has to be right and one little prick in the system will cause my team to spiral into a random fit of seizures and we’ll lose by a thousand goals. Okay, so the last bit never happens but I still worry that it’s a possibility so going into the match I wore my Falcao away kit, listened to “I Will Survive,” twice and prayed harder than I had ever prayed before. To say the least this game was beyond important, this win would give us the league title that most hated rival, Benfica had taken from us the year before. Although they could have easily have won the league at the Dragão the previous season, we held them off and they would have to wait another day to celebrate. With that knowledge in hand it would only be bittersweet to win the league in the Luz, home to Benfica, and to celebrate a league win during one of the most heated and highly contested matches of the Portuguese season, O Clássico.

By the end of the match Porto were declared national champions, tears had erupted on the Porto bench, and singing and dancing took over the pitch. Of course this game would have been monumental nevertheless but proved to be unforgettable after the lights in the Luz were cut off and the sprinklers turned on while my team celebrated their win. Much to the surprise of everyone the Porto players continued to celebrate, running through the sprinklers and laughing and dancing the night away.

Favourite Kit?

There are so many great ones. I really think that the traditional blue and white kit every season is a favourite, there is nothing like traditional colours. This may be taking the easy way out but I feel as though trying to define just one is useless in terms of my adoration. However, in order to pick something out of this season’s kits I have a fond liking of the home kit for 2011/12.

Worst thing about being a Porto fan?

Probably knowing for certain that within two or three seasons your favourites will probably be sold no matter how hard you beg for it not to happen. Despite the summer being the time of the year where you’re supposed to relax and take a deep breath I spend most of mine thwarting Porto rumours and hoping that some divine miracle will save me from saying goodbye to another instrumental part of the Porto system. I usually end the summer with a line of curse words and now a glass of wine and say goodbye to what was and begin a new world of what is.

Funniest Moment?

Without question the Filhos do Dragão video is by far the grandest Porto moment to ever be created. Bringing together an entire Porto team, including then big boss José Mourinho, the video proves to be the most hilarious, awkward, and amazing video known to man. From Vítor Baía belting out the lyrics like a professional singer to Ricardo Costa grinning at the camera and singing like his life depended on it, there is not a single moment not worth laughing over. If you have a good eye you can also spot a young André Villas-Boas singing and dancing in the background. There’s nothing more hilarious and yet awesome than a group of grown men hopping and dancing around while singing, or at least that’s how I feel. I feel as though watching this video once a week makes my life better, actually I know it makes my life better.

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BYmK9KxKkA)

Favourite Moment?

Every single time an FC Porto player tweets. I had crazily enough joked about loving Josef de Souza Dias (or better known as just Souza) and had him retweet me once and since then everything has come up roses on twitter. Actually, I really just do enjoy the twitter interactions the players have with the fans and each other. Souza and Porto newbie Kelvin (who is enjoying his loan at Rio Ave) are very quick to reply to fans questions and comments and often carry on long conversations with them. I always get a good laugh when they start tweeting photos of the other players on the team, no one is safe and Jorge Fucile tends to show up in every photo no matter what.

Posted on October 19th, 2011 by scott
Filed under: My Team & I