PIRLO IS MY IDOL
...says Ruben Neves, the creative force behind Wolves’ top-flight resurgence
Ruben neves walks into a glassfronted room at the sir Jack Hayward training ground and carries with him the easy authority that characterises his play.
It is difficult to put your finger on, but there is an unmistakable air of calm conviction when he shakes hands, fixes eyes, and says: ‘ Obrigado.’
There is also a polite but firm refusal when offered a pastel de nata, the custard tart adored in his homeland. A box of the delicious pastries has been brought to this interview from the coffee shop in the city centre he frequents with his Portuguese team-mates.
except today is not a day for home comforts. There is a big game ahead and neves will be central to his team’s fortunes.
This is a young man and footballer mature beyond his years. Aged 21, he holds the on-pitch responsibility for the way Wolverhampton Wanderers set about the Premier League, while away from the game he is engaged to longterm girlfriend Debora and father to daughter Magarida, who was one this month.
He has reached a fulfilled life quickly, yet is certainly not in a hurry. Having been captain of his beloved Porto at 18, last summer he made the bold decision to drop down to the Championship in a record £15.8million transfer that raised eyebrows. Chelsea and Liverpool had previously been linked with moves.
It was only a momentary pause to neves’s elite-level career. Promotion followed and his glorious free- kick in this season’s first game at Molineux, as well as the confidence of his passing, brought his special talents to a wider audience.
Today’s visit of Manchester City provides a supreme challenge but underlines just why he chose old gold a little over 12 months ago. ‘The project was to go to the Premier League, play against the best teams, and put Wolves on another level,’ says neves. ‘This game is what we want to play.’
Champions City represent what Wolves wish to become — a storied club renewed by fresh investment and yes, in time, title-winners. neves is a key figure in those major ambitions. He urges patience.
‘It is good to have aspirations but we have to be real,’ he says. ‘We are playing against the best in the world. For many of our players it is their first year in the Premier League. so we have to be calm. We have to think game by game and do everything we can to put Wolves as high as we can.’
so far neves has lived up to the hype that grew during his Championship campaign. Although last week ended in defeat at Leicester, neves set the tempo as Wolves dominated the early stages. On the opening day gainst everton neves scored and then assumed the creative mantle, setting up the equaliser.
For a player who was the youngest captain in Champions League history, age has never prohibited accountability. ‘I was always like that, probably because of my parents,’ he says. ‘They always gave me this responsibility, to grow and learn fast. ‘When I was nine years old my father went to spain to work for three years and I was in Portugal. I only saw him once a month, which was difficult. I was alone with my mother and my sister, who is younger than me. That probably helped me be how I am. My family have made a lot of sacrifices to put me where I want to be. everything I do is for them.’
neves has two tattoos in tribute to them and one to the other love of his life: Porto. ‘Porto is my team since I was a young boy,’ he says. ‘I was in the stands for all the matches. I was too young to go to the Champions League final in 2004 but I celebrated afterwards. I watch all their games when I can. At some point I want to go back.’
That neves left speaks in part to the persuasiveness of Jorge Mendes. The agent’s influence at Wolves has drawn criticism from rivals but the testimony of this client demonstrates genuine admiration.
‘every player speaks a lot with him, he is our agent,’ neves explains. ‘He is very good for us, very ambitious. He knows football very well, so you have to listen. He is always correct.’
neves is too intelligent to have his career dictated to him. For instance he is conducting this interview in english despite not speaking the language until switching countries last year.
‘Honestly, I never spoke english before, only when I came to Wolverhampton,’ he says smiling. ‘It’s hard for me. I know I don’t speak perfect but I have to try.’
Then there is the way he puts his mind to the complicated aspects of football; the difficult passes, the precise positioning. He models his game on Andrea Pirlo, pointing to his temple after scoring every goal.
‘The celebration is from his book which I read last year, I Think Therefore I Play. For me he is the best midfielder in the world, the way he passed and the very smart way he played. He is my inspiration.
‘I like teamwork and the possession of the ball, that is the most important thing. The objective is to play to the front.’ neves also has the option of going alone from distance. He has scored seven times from outside the box for Wolves and ranks his volley from a cleared corner against Derby in April as his best. ‘It’s a natural thing for me but every week before the game we practise,’ he explains. He has witnessed first-hand the value of such dedication. Capped five times by Portugal, he has been given advice in training by the king of self-improvement, Cristiano Ronaldo.
so he was not unduly upset at being left out of the World Cup squad. ‘Of course I wanted to be there but I was not frustrated,’ he says. ‘The coach has a lot of players to choose from. I have to keep working and wait for my time. I achieved a very good level with Wolverhampton and I still have a lot of years to play.’
supporters today already believe in his ability. better than Zinedine Zidane, goes their chant.
‘That is impossible!’ neves says, laughing. ‘It is always good for us to hear things like that. but we have to be real. I know where I am.’