August 4, 2018 Diogo Leite will forever remember this day, when, almost ten years after arriving at the club still a boy, he debuted with the main FC Porto shirt, in the starting team, winning a title. “Unforgettable” was the word the 19 years old central defender used after the match against Desportivo das Aves (3-1), to describe the fulfilment of a childhood dream, but also a goal.”

The new number 4, who recently renewed his contract with the club, became the fifth player from the youth squads to be used by Sérgio Conceição since he arrived at FC Porto as coach, 14 months ago. He follows the examples of also defenders Diogo Dalot and Jorge Fernandes, midfielder Bruno Costa and forward André Pereira, who, after playing in two matches for the main squad, in 2017/18, was in the starting team for the first time, also winning his first trophy as a professional, at the match held this Saturday, at Estádio Municipal de Aveiro.

His inclusion in the starting team was much of a surprise, as that had already happened in five of the seven matches played in the pre-season. IN reality, the setting could have been different, if he had gone to the Under19 European Cup, which ended with Portugal winning the competition, but the player had already been called. But Diogo set the “interests of FC Porto above all - like Pinto da Costa stated, when paying homage to the other two “Diogos”, Costa and Queirós, for the victory - and grabbed the opportunity.

Diogo Leite may have lost the opportunity of following up the Under17 title, already won in 2016, losing the Under19 title, but did win a cup and a spot in the starting team. The story reminds one that happened to Vítor Baía, nearly three decades ago At the time, the promising goalkeeper, also aged 19, dismissed the participation in the 1989 Under20 World Cup, in Riade, and chose the issue of goals in FC Porto, starting a pass we all know already, born to win.