Sporting CP’s double-winning 2024/25 season was a testament to emotional resilience and an unshakeable belief that propelled the team through pivotal moments, as revealed in a new documentary.
The journey’s defining moment came on May 4 with a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory against Gil Vicente. This win, achieved deep into the season, was crucial for maintaining a league lead.
Defender Eduardo Quaresma, 23, scored the winning goal. “I see the ball falling and said ‘it’s now.’ I started crying,” Quaresma recalled in the documentary.
Coach Rui Borges, 44, described the intensity. “The desperation of the guys was so much that I was telling Edu to go into the area,” he said, adding, “I believe it was the title game.”
Midfielder Daniel Bragança noted, “Only those who were in the stadium for 90 minutes, suffering, know the relief it was.” Teammate Maxi Araújo called Quaresma’s goal “historic,” while Nuno Santos remembered tears flowing after the decisive score.
Captain Morten Hjulmand highlighted the comeback as proof of Sporting’s “champion spirit,” particularly as he was at risk of suspension for the upcoming derby.
This momentum carried Sporting to secure the league title at home against Vitória in a subsequent round. The triumph prompted widespread celebrations among the team and fans.
Defender Matheus Reis spoke of the moment the final whistle blew, when “everything we went through in the season flashes through your mind.” Bragança described the bus trip to the Marquês de Pombal square in Lisbon as “one of the best things I’ve had in life.”
Coach Borges reflected on the “difficult week” leading to the title decider, emphasizing the players were “special, different.” Following a crucial 1-1 away draw against rival Benfica that kept them top, Borges told his squad, “We’ve come too far to stop. Be very courageous.”
He asserted that “one goal changed everything” and “maturity made the difference” during that challenging period.
The season culminated in a Portuguese Cup final victory against Benfica, securing the coveted domestic double. Hjulmand delivered a powerful pre-match address to his team before the final at Jamor.
“Three finals. We lost three finals. A real champion doesn’t lose finals. This one, no way. It’s ours, damn it,” Hjulmand told his teammates. He stressed the importance of winning the double to “make my history here.”
Swedish forward Viktor Gyökeres converted a crucial penalty in the final, calling it “one of my best penalties, to be honest.” Francisco Trincão recalled the build-up to a vital second goal, where a cross led to a “great header.”
Coach Borges noted the challenge of uniting the team for the final but praised the “belief until the last minute.” He highlighted Gyökeres’ run to win the penalty and the team’s belief in extra time as a demonstration of their season-long resolve.
These intimate recollections are featured in the documentary “The Winner Takes It All,” offering an inside look at Sporting CP’s memorable 2024/25 campaign.