‘I can be proud’… €25m Portuguese player reflects on the time he spent playing for Barcelona | OneFootball

FC Barcelona is one of the most historic clubs in Europe. The fact that they have been going through a trying time in recent years hasn’t taken the sheen away from them one bit and they still continue to hold the same sway over players.

Despite their financial woes, the club has managed to convince players like Robert Lewandowski, Jules Kounde, Raphinha, Andreas Christensen, Inigo Martinez, Sergio Aguero, Dani Olmo, Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo among others to play for the Catalan club.

Now, some of these transfers have been loans, some players have arrived as free agents and some have been brought for a decent transfer fee but it doesn’t make a difference to the fact that players always desire to play for Barcelona.

One player who spent last season at the club on loan was Joao Cancelo. The Portuguese full-back was loved by Barcelona fans but the deal ultimately did not work out for him to join the club permanently.

Despite this, Cancelo, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano, has expressed pride in representing the club. He said: “I can be proud, I’m happy to say that I’ve had the chance to play for Barcelona. It’s the club I’ve always supported.”

At his best, Cancelo is an incredible footballer. It seems almost unfair that he was ever typecast as just a full-back. Alongside Trent Alexander-Arnold, he ranks among the most creative full-backs in Premier League history.

Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images

Last season for Barcelona, the €25m-rated Portuguese defender showcased his versatility. He is equally adept at playing at left-back and right-back and possesses a cunning outside-the-boot pass that helps him mask his weak foot. He even played as a right winger for the club at times.

It is a shame that at the age of 30, Cancelo is off to Saudi Arabia to play for Al-Hilal. He deserved to continue playing at the top level in Europe for a few more seasons but that isn’t the case. Let’s wait and see how he continues to perform going forward.