“He’s Five Foot Seven, He’s Football Heaven”. So goes the chant invented by the fans of Wolverhampton Wanderers in praise of their Portuguese idol João Moutinho.
Moutinho has majestically countered the common misconception that midfielders have to be big, fast and athletic to thrive in the modern game. The former Sporting, Porto and Monaco player has been brilliantly effective for whichever team he has represented ever since making his professional debut almost two decades ago.
That said, 2020/21 was a rare season in which Moutinho’s performance level was not quite at its usual metronomic excellence. PortuGOAL’s Wolves correspondent Alex Gonçalves takes a look at Moutinho’s renaissance this campaign.
Wolves on the up again
Although at one point this season promised even more and the phenomenal prospect of a top-four finish, at least for a while, became a tantalisingly realistic aspiration, even the most ambitious of Wolves supporters will be very pleased by how well their side have fared in Bruno Lage’s debut campaign at the helm. There was, after all, an element of concern in some quarters that this had all the ingredients to be a fairly turbulent season. Many parts of the team had not been strengthened in the summer market and a relatively unproven manager was in the hotseat.
One position that many felt may need improving was central midfield, which Ruben Neves and João Moutinho had previously made their own. That wasn’t out of a lack of respect for the two Portuguese maestros. Indeed, you do not have to look too far to find a Wolves fan who will suggest that João Moutinho is one of the very best players to ever represent Wolverhampton Wanderers in their illustrious history. For some, in fact, he’s the greatest player they’ve ever witnessed first-hand.
Ruben Neves, meanwhile, is often more obviously mesmerising and influential. His Pirlo-esque style and ability to pick out a man with inch-perfect long-range accuracy make him so easily eye-catching, while his habit of bagging the occasional world-class goal makes him the ideal compilation player on social media. These two have therefore been fan favourites at the club over the past few years, and understandably so.
Doubts arise
However, despite the obvious admiration and adoration for Moutinho’s footballing prowess, less than a year ago there were genuine and repeated suggestions that his time at top level football had reached its climax, and he was no longer of sufficient quality to serve in Wolves’ midfield. After two phenomenal seasons at Wolves, where his on-ball composure and command of the midfield delighted the locals, a lacklustre season in Nuno Espirito Santo’s final campaign led to some of the Wolves faithful, perhaps understandably, started to consider potential replacements. By this point well into his 30s, the predictable feeling that he didn’t have the endurance to navigate in Wolves’ system at the highest level felt like it was becoming an increasingly common viewpoint. His legs were gone, some would say. He’s a finished player at the top level, others will have chimed.
That might come as a surprise to Portuguese football fans. Moutinho has always been such a reliable figure for Portugal, a player who offers so much calm and poise to Portugal’s midfield, a player who leads by example with his professionalism and on-ball composure. Even during his relative struggles at Wolves he continued to turn out for Portugal and pull off some good displays in the heart of midfield, even off the bench.
In Neves’ case, it was clearly very different. Nobody ever doubted his star quality, but in Nuno’s system, his overall influence on the team felt like it was waning somewhat, and though he still possessed that vision and technique to pull off the spectacular, for some it felt like he was perhaps no longer an indispensable part of the team, and a sizeable offer for his services should no longer be considered unacceptable.
Bruno Lage reboot
Under Lage, however, things have changed dramatically. Their partnership has found a new gear, been given a new lease on life, and they have this season become two crucial cogs in a system that is proving fruitful for the team.
That they both scored in Wolves’ league battle with Brentford earlier this year - which ended in a 2-1 victory for Lage’s men - was perfect testament to their increased influence on team proceedings. In Moutinho's case, it is no longer even remotely debatable that he is holding the team back. He, alongside Neves, has been helping Wolves in their attempts to reach a new level, contributing so importantly to Wolves’ defensive efforts while also assisting the side in their attacking endeavours. Their composure, decision-making and understanding of each other’s game have been so important to Lage and to Wolves’ stellar campaign so far. Moutinho, in particular, deserves huge credit for coming back and proving his doubters wrong. As one person put it in August last year, he’s “like a man reborn”, and it is no wonder that he was nominated for Player of the Month in January.
Portugal role
His influence on the Portugal national team continues to illustrate his tremendous capabilities. In Portugal’s crucial World Cup playoffs, he was the man chosen to essentially hold the midfield together, selected alongside the likes of Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes in midfield in what was a strikingly attacking lineup. He offered his trademark calm control in the middle of the park, and any suggestion that his fitness levels are deteriorating quite clearly couldn’t be further from the truth as he started both matches, playing virtually a combined 180 minutes as Portugal beat both Turkey and North Macedonia.
He continues to turn out for Wolves on a weekly basis too, and with Neves currently sidelined due to injury, his role at the club has become even more significant. Some may have been understandably concerned by the prospect of losing Neves for a notable portion of the season, but if Moutinho’s most recent outing against Aston Villa is anything to go by, he still has what it takes to dictate midfield even without his reliable compatriot by his side.
Contract up
Now 35, however, Portugal’s second most capped player in history is into the last year of his contract at Molineux, and while some would have been happy to wave him goodbye as a hero 12 or so months ago, most would now be keen to keep him on beyond this current campaign. With Mourinho and Roma potentially calling, however, it’s difficult to predict where he’ll be playing this time next year.
Nevertheless, Moutinho proved his erstwhile growing catalogue of doubters wrong, much to the delight of everyone associated at Wolves, none more so than the very people who began to question him, who will be extremely pleased to see a fan favourite prove he still has what it takes. It was remarkable that the Portuguese icon cost Wolves just £5M. It is perhaps even more impressive that he continues to prove such a top-class footballer, both for club and country. Long may it continue, and let’s enjoy it while it lasts.
by Alex Gonçalves
For more from Alex, follow him on Twitter @Aljeeves and check out his website TugaScout.
