Vítor Machado Ferreira: Hailing from the footballing hotbed of Portugal, Vitinha stands as a promising young midfielder, poised to make a resonating impact on the beautiful game. Tipped as the heir to Joao Moutinho and the future of Portugal’s midfield, there seems to be a reasonable amount of excitement in the build-up to his stardom. His style of play is the perfect concoction of Xavi’s maneuvering, the sharpness of Lampard’s vision, and the euphony of Gerrard’s long-range abilities.
While many of us have enjoyed watching him perform for PSG, a significant number of football fans are still oblivious to the stories behind the rise of the man himself. In this article, we are excited to share those with you, which encompass his childhood, rise to fame, along with other intriguing details such as his family, relationships, personality, and more.
Vítor Machado Ferreira Family
He is the second of three children born to Vítor Manuel and Ana Maria. As mentioned earlier, he has two siblings: an older sister named Ines and a younger brother named Diogo.
Religion
Vitinha is a devout Christian.
Marital Status
He is married to his long-time partner and soulmate, Tatiana Rendeiro Torres. Together, they have a daughter named Mafalda.
Childhood
Vitinha was born in the city of Faro, South of Portugal but was raised in Vila das Aves, situated in the North of Portugal. He considers himself a native of Vila. He would relocate regularly with his family due to job changes and also because his father was a Football player. Like him, his pops was also a midfielder but never made it big in Portugal. He owes his ardor for football to his dad who raised him with a proper football pathos.
He obtained his schooling from Desportivo das Aves, an institution that provides formal academic education along with sports. He took part in a reputable 7-a Side tournament where teams from all over Europe had taken part. His team had a good run where they finished fourth, losing to Saint Ettiene in the Semifinals. What’s even more commendable is that he kept his mental mettle in check after being at the end of a turbulent bus accident along with his entire team.
The Beginning of Something Special
Having witnessed his exceptional performances at the tournament, scouts eagerly extended an offer for the young boy to undergo trials at Benfica de Braga, a branch of SL Benfica. To almost no one’s surprise, he passed the trials and promptly became one of the standout players on the roster. What made this even more thrilling for the young talent was the opportunity to be under the supervision of Rui Costa, a revered footballing icon in Portugal.
Despite his technical brilliance and keen vision on the field, he found himself overshadowed due to his slender physique, being notably thinner compared to his peers. This became a significant obstacle to his progression through the higher youth academy ranks due to concerns about his physicality. Frustrated by this limitation, his father engaged in a dispute with the higher-ups at Benfica de Braga, ultimately leading to Vitinha parting ways with The Eagles.
An Alternate Course
A bitter end with Benfica prompted a move to arch-rivals Porto for the young baller tipped to be Joao Moutinho’s heir. Vitinha didn’t take the expedition alone as he was also accompanied by his teammate from Benfica and Portugal’s star goalkeeper, Diogo Costa. The latter also had sour relations with the club and opted out. The two were granted all the facilities and care to develop their skills and etch their names into Portugal’s finest.
Vitinha along with Diogo Costa got their first taste of silver as they emerged triumphant in the UEFA Youth League in 2019, becoming the only club from Portugal to ever hold those medals in the competition’s history. His sublime performances earned him the captain’s armband for both, club and country. Under his captaincy, the Portugal U-19 National Team made it to the finals of the UEFA U-19 Championship, emerging as the second-best to Spain.
Declaring Greatness
After ages of heralding the much-awaited moment, it was finally here. He made his professional debut for Porto’s senior team in early 2020. He played a key role coming off the bench and providing the midfield with fluidity, ultimately earning Porto the title. In the ensuing summer, he was loaned off to Wolverhampton Wanderers but returned in the next to become a regular starter for the Blue Dragons.
The year 2022 was a resounding success for Vitinha as he clenched a domestic double and won numerous individual accolades along the way, most notably the Primera Liga Young Player of the Year. His august output during the season had him on the radar of many elite football clubs in Europe and it was PSG who formally announced him as their first signing of the 2022 Summer Transfer Window. He would go on to hit another benchmark after featuring for Portugal at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The Feud With Lionel Messi
In the midst of a training session, the Argentine sensation seemed to be livid at Vitinha over something that had not been disclosed. According to the French Newspaper L’Equipe, Messi said the following: ‘Not only are you bad, but you’re also hurting me.’ These words punctured a hole in Vitinha’s heart, as he was keen on seeking greener pastures elsewhere as the summer approached. However, he was calmed down by his compatriot Danilo Pereira, who also convinced him to stay.
You can read – Why Messi deserved the Ballon d’Or
Lifestyle and Personality
Vitinha is an extrovert with a vibrant personality, who values the company of friends and family members. He prefers investing his leisure and recreational spaces into them as can be seen in the video below.
Everyone has their preferences when it comes to vacations and unwinding rituals, but Vitinha’s bias leans towards seaside vacations.
Some Intriguing Facts about Vitinha
- Vitinha’s grandfather and uncle were also footballers
- Has a cousin who is a futsal player
- He is very good friends with Arsenal’s midfielder Fabio Viera
- His sister is a videographer who offers worldwide services
- Pepe is his idol
