Porto midfielder Nico Gonzalez donated his man of the match award in Sunday’s league victory over Braga to the ball boy who started the move for the side’s winning goal.
Gonzalez assisted the decisive goal for team-mate Pepe in Porto’s 2-1 victory, but the move was started by the club’s ball boy Goncalo Cruz, a player with Porto’s under-15 side.
The teenager’s quick thinking on the sidelines saw him swiftly pass the ball to Porto defender Martim Fernandes to take a throw-in before Braga’s defence had not set into position, with 22-year-old Gonzalez then receiving the ball and providing the assist for the decisive goal in the 59th minute.
Gonzalez was awarded the man of the match award but he immediately sought out Cruz after the match to present him with the honour and dedicated the victory to the ball boy in his post match interviews.
Nico González ofereceu o Prémio MVP ao Gonçalo, o apanha-bolas que iniciou a jogada do segundo golo 🤩⚽️#FCPSCB pic.twitter.com/EGhnrOuOYr
— FC Porto (@FCPorto) October 6, 2024
“We went to congratulate him after the match,” Gonzalez told Portuguese TV station Sport TV. “He gave me the ball for the first goal too and the play continued. The two goals came partly thanks to him.
“This is a bit of what I said, the whole stadium, the team, we are united as one.”
Teenage ball boy Cruz posed with Porto players Gonzalez and Pepe after the match to thank them for the support and pose with the award.
Os MVP da noite 😅😎#FCPSCB pic.twitter.com/Ms6e069NDY
— FC Porto (@FCPorto) October 6, 2024
Porto head coach Vitor Bruno said of the ball boy’s actions: “We got another three points today thanks to him too. He’ll get the tribute he deserves.
“These boys are very important. It’s also necessary for those who are on the sidelines and don’t directly interact with the game to realise how they can help, even from the sidelines.”
Porto won the game 2-1 after Galeno’s first half penalty and Pepe’s winning strike either side of Roger Fernandes scoring for the visitors in a result that sees Vitor Bruno’s side remain second in the Portuguese top flight, three points behind league leaders Sporting CP.
The result came three days after Porto drew 3-3 at home to Manchester United in the Europa League.
(MIGUEL RIOPA/AFP via Getty Images)
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