📜 "Since I've entered politics, I've learned that the line doesn't go out from the middle to the left and the right. It goes in a circle." -CM 🇮🇪/Carpe Diem.
Diogo Jota's wife, Rute Cardoso, has written a letter to Scotland captain Andy Robertson ahead of the World Cup.
She thanks Robertson for his friendship, and for preserving Diogo's memory. Robertson adds he'll have Jota at the forefront of his mind.🙏
Diogo Jota's wife, Rute Cardoso, has written a letter to Scotland captain Andy Robertson ahead of the World Cup.
She thanks Robertson for his friendship, and for preserving Diogo's memory. Robertson adds he'll have Jota at the forefront of his mind.🙏
Before I joined the club, Pep was already an inspiration for me. To become his player and after 9 years end up being the one with most games played under him is truly an honour. He arrived at Man City, and the Premier League couldn’t be dominated playing his way… Well, they were wrong. Not only he dominated, he changed the game in England as he did in other countries before. The hunger and ambition to want more and more even after winning and winning again was a big inspiration. For me personally, he was and will always be my father of football. A lot of the things that many managers in the past thought were weaknesses of my game, he saw it as strengths and understood me from day one. On a personal level, the kindness, trust and respect that we had for each other makes me the proudest and goes beyond football. I couldn’t be more grateful for what he did for me and my family. Thank you for all the memories and experiences to the greatest manager ever Pep Guardiola! 😄
EUROPA LEAGUE was never the dream.
Not because I didn’t want it.
Because if I’m being honest, I never thought it was possible.
What kid would?
Especially when 12 years ago I was playing non league football in the Ryman Premier and Conference South, just trying to stay alive in the game.
What kid dreams about Europe when, two weeks into the off season, his dad has to tell him he’s been released by Watford F.C. over the phone?
I was heartbroken.
My dad looked at me and said:
“What are we doing tomorrow?”
To which I replied with the words he’d drilled into me my whole life:
“We’re training, Dad.”
So we trained.
Every single day.
My dad emailed every EFL club asking for an opportunity.
One club replied.
One.
That was all I needed.
An opportunity.
@WealdstoneFC and @wwfcofficial , I’ll always be indebted to you.
Then came the move to @SunderlandAFC .
A massive club.
A massive opportunity.
And I couldn’t wait to prove myself.
But 45 minutes into my debut… hooked.
“Rabbit caught in headlights. Waste of money. Get rid.”
Then came the Championship.
“He’s not good enough for this level.”
Then the Premier League.
“Let’s give him a debut and then get rid of him.”
I understood the doubt.
I’ve faced it my whole career.
And truthfully, you doubt yourself too at times.
But I’ve always tried to live by one mindset:
Outwork your doubt.
You don’t always need to see the full journey.
You just need to take the next step.
Then the next one.
And then another.
Even when social media tells you you’re not good enough.
Even when the voice inside your own head whispers the same thing.
Keep working.
Keep learning.
Keep showing up.
Because sometimes the places you end up are bigger than anything your younger self could’ve ever imagined.
To any young player reading this, don’t put a ceiling on yourself too early.
You genuinely have no idea where this game and life can take you.
And to the boys… thank you.
You removed the glass ceiling I’d placed on myself.
What a team.
What a club.
What a fanbase.
Sunderland… rocking all over Europe ❤️🤍
And in the words of Granit Xhaka:
“This is just the beginning.”