Effort, dedication, devotion and glory!

May 17 will be in the memory of many for the conquest of the two -time Sporting Clube de Portugal championship, 71 years later. It was a memorable moment for all Sportinguists who were looking forward to this deserved outcome.

But the victory of this championship had an even more special flavor, at a time when Sporting had three coaches. After the departure of Rúben Amorim, many said that Sporting with the loss of his helmsman would not have any chance of maintaining the performance we were used to, came João Pereira who was not happy in the results achieved and the injuries of the players who began to emerge and then that Sporting was thought to be tidy. Rui Borges arrived from Vitória de Guimarães, an unknown coach of most people, a humble man who does not hide his pride for being from Mirandela.

Players’ injuries began to be a “plague” that haunted the club, players like Nuno Santos, Daniel Bragança and Kovacevic who, after injury, did not play this season, as did Pedro Gonçalves who only recovered at the end of the season, were essential pieces in the team’s chess. As if it were not enough this tide of injuries, there were still others in important players such as Morita, Viktor Gyokeres, St. Juste, Lent, Marcus Edwards, Matheus Reis, Gonçalo Inácio, Diomande, Franco Israel, Hjulmand, João Simões, Geny Catamo or Debast.

But it was not here, they still hired a goalkeeper in the middle of the championship, Rui Silva, who very quickly managed to convey the necessary confidence to his teammates and was also preponderant in the successes obtained.

The truth is that it is not common for a team to go through so many adversities in one time and, despite everything, can reach the title. All this was only possible thanks to the commitment of all, players, technical team, staff, direction and supporters!

Those who watched the games felt the environment lived when they sang « The World knows that », the march of Sporting, of the late Maria José Valério, or shouted loudly the name of Sporting, were always moments of great emotion when breathing love for the club and a feeling of great union between supporters, players and direction. Everyone in unison wanted to see Sporting Champion and “never shot the towel to the ground” at the most adverse moments, on the contrary, they continued to believe that although difficult, it was possible and it was this winning spirit and this conviction that helped realize this feat.

The conquest of the two-time championship by Sporting also serves as an example for all of us, either in sports or other circumstances of our lives, belief, persistence, work, commitment and union of wills, can lead us more easily to achieve our dreams, just as we should never give up on them!

This was a battle surpassed with immense effort, a lot of dedication, enormous devotion, to the great glory!