Rodrigo Mora recently shared his thoughts in an interview on Canal 11, broadcast Wednesday night. He spoke openly about his future with FC Porto. He also touched on how he is adapting to the game plan set by coach Francesco Farioli. Mora believes he needs to step up his defensive game for the team to truly shine.
The young talent knows his role. “To make the team better, I must give more of myself on defense,” he stated. “I will always give my absolute best.” Mora is certain this will be a fantastic year for the Dragons. He made his commitment clear, saying, “I am very happy at FC Porto and I will stay with my club.” His personal goals are ambitious: earning his first cap for the senior national team and winning the national championship with FC Porto.
A New Chapter for FC Porto
Mora sees a strong foundation at FC Porto right now. “Things are going well,” he commented. “We have a very powerful team, a coach, and staff with fresh ideas.” He highlighted the squad’s unity as their greatest strength. “The fans are with us, and I think it will be a great year,” he added with confidence. The club brought in many new players, which Mora believes benefits the group. He acknowledged the previous season was difficult. However, he sees that as old news now. “That’s in the past,” Mora said. “Now we continue, and this year, I believe it will be a good one.”
His first year at FC Porto was challenging. Mora admits it wasn’t what he wanted, but he learned from it. “It’s something you learn from, and we are here to learn,” he explained. “I hope a year like that doesn’t happen again.” He deeply values the support he gets from fans. He feels it keenly, from games in Barcelos to presentations at the Dragão stadium. “I am very grateful for this support,” Mora shared. “I am also very happy to play for FC Porto. I need to keep going, because I hope more fans will like me, and that’s how it has to be.”
Adapting to New Demands
His position on the field now comes with different responsibilities. Mora knows it requires more defensive effort from him. “It’s something I’m working on,” he affirmed. He understands that for the team to improve, he has to contribute more defensively. Despite playing a bit deeper, he expects his offensive play to remain unchanged. He believes he will still be the same threat going forward. Mora also spoke highly of his teammate Samu. “He’s a world-class forward,” Mora said. “It’s easy to serve him because he scores in any way. He’s very strong physically, very good at breaking away, and I think it’s easy to play alongside him.”
Focused Despite Rumors
The transfer market always brings whispers, but Mora tries to ignore them. “I always try to block everything out,” he revealed. “I don’t pay attention, and whatever happens, happens.” He believes the market speculation is behind him. “I am very happy at FC Porto and will continue at my club,” he reiterated. While he doesn’t actively seek out transfer news, it still finds him. “Someone always sends it to me,” he said. “But I try to tell people not to send it, because I don’t really like to see it.”
One moment that brought great joy was the victory over Sporting. “We won a classic at the champions’ home ground in Alvalade,” he recalled. “I think it was a very well-executed match by us. I was very happy there, because it was a very important win for us.”
Aiming for Club Legend Status
Mora looks up to players like Diogo Costa. “Diogo Costa, without a doubt, already is a reference. He’s our captain,” Mora noted. He grew up and trained at FC Porto. Becoming a club icon, like Costa, would be a huge honor. “It would, without a shadow of a doubt, be an honor to be a reference for FC Porto,” he stated.
Being a major figure in Portuguese football is not something he constantly thinks about. “Honestly, I don’t think about it,” he admitted. He believes if it’s meant to happen, it will naturally. His focus is on his daily work and the next game. “What I think about daily is what I can give day-to-day, in the game I’m going to have,” Mora explained. “What happens in the future, I think it’s natural. If it happens, it happens. If not, that’s okay too.” As for his favorite goal, he picked the one against Boavista. “That one in Boavista-FC Porto,” he said. “I prefer that one; it was a derby.”