Portugal midfielder João Mário officially departed Benfica on Wednesday, signing for Turkish giants Besiktas on a loan deal with a mandatory purchase clause of €5m.
In a heartfelt and elaborate interview on his way out, the Euro 2016 winner admitted that whilst he enjoyed the best period of his career with the club, the circumstances surrounding his exit leave him a little disappointed.
João Mário leaves Estádio da Luz after three years, during which the midfielder had the best season of his career during the 2022-23 campaign. However, his time at Benfica ends on somewhat of a sour note, with João Mário the target of the Eagles’ fans frustration following a poor start to the season.
Speaking to the media after finalising his move out of the club, the 31-year-old admits to feeling a little hard done-by with current events. Highly-rated by newly-sacked Benfica boss Roger Schmidt, João Mário withstood the ire of the club’s fans for his persistent inclusion during recent struggles, particularly in the home win over Casa Pia.
"Incredible. It was a pleasure to have been at Benfica,” he said. “The club managed to give me an incredible status, I reached my peak as a player at Benfica. I'm sorry I didn't manage to complete my 150th game, but I'm very proud of my career at the club, and it was a pleasure to wear the Benfica jersey.
"It was a game... It's a bit special for me, in a negative way, because obviously we know that – and I've had a lot of good moments, a lot of bad moments here, on this pitch, in this stadium – I've always tried to give my best. I believe that people have often recognised that, and I've also tried to thank them for that.
“That game was special because I felt that there was a huge burden, negative and personal, and I think that, when that happens, it's a moment when we often realise that it's time to close a cycle. Obviously it wasn't just because of that game, because of that moment, but it was a decisive and decisive moment for the rest of my history with Benfica.
"It's a mixed feeling. It's a bit... a bit unfair, I would say, because I know how much I give – on and off the pitch – to the club. Obviously, people often don't see the invisible work, and I know that I do it, and that I gave a lot. So, it felt a bit unfair because I believe that, when you're booed by your own fans, there has to be a very strong reason.
“And I believe that in that game there was nothing very strong to justify what happened. But, as I say, we are human, and people are also human. I don't hold any grudges. I think that people often have to express themselves the way they want and feel, as I do too, and also depending on what the events are, to make decisions. And, for me, it was a defining moment, but I don't hold any grudges.
"Best moments? It's always difficult. Individually, I always remember the game against Inter [29/11/2023] for having scored a hat-trick. Champions League games, against Juventus [1-2, in Turin, on 14/09/2022], are always more difficult games. The game against Vitória de Guimarães [18/03/2023]… They are always special moments. The game against Vizela [02/09/2022], too! I think that, individually, the games in which I took part and managed to contribute to a victory are always the ones I remember the most."
What changed at Benfica?
Football changes quickly and both João Mário and Schmidt suffered a significant downturn in status from the sparking 2022-23 season, in which the midfielder scored an astonishing 23 goals in all competitions as the Eagles won the Primeira Liga ahead of FC Porto.
“There was harmony between everyone at the club,” João Mário recalls. “Between players, fans. It was, without a doubt, a great synchronisation of everything, and I repeat: it culminated in great joy for everyone and that, without a doubt, will always be in my memory.
"This season? Some things have changed, it's hard to explain. The dynamics... You lose a little more confidence at times. The season didn't start off in the best way either, it was a bit shaky there, and, as I said, sometimes, for better or for worse, the snowball effect can go both ways, and I wasn't able to perform as well.
"I think it was a bit of a consequence of what happened last season. Obviously, everything we did in pre-season indicated that the start of the championship would be very good. We lost a lot of confidence with that game in Famalicão, nobody was counting on the outcome of the game, the result, everything.
“That really brought back a lot of memories from last year, and I think it was perhaps the decisive game for things to happen the way they did. Often a result like that takes away a lot of confidence, and then a snowball effect starts that is often difficult to justify, but it culminated in what it did.
“Obviously, we always try to improve and do more and better. It wasn't possible, and that's it. I also lost a little confidence during the year, and it wasn't what I wanted by far.
"At Benfica, you want everything, you always want everything and more, game after game. I've given this example several times: even when I scored a hat-trick, people from the stands asked me for a fourth goal. In other words, there's this insatiability that's different at other clubs, that's different in other challenges I've had, and I think I would say that. Benfica is... The demand is always huge and it makes all the difference.
"I think it's a bit about that balance. And I would say the word balance, which is key to everything. It's key to personal life, it's key to professional life. We all have to try – whether we, the players, or our fans – to have that balance so that it doesn't become suffocating for us, the players. We always understand that if we're playing well it's much easier, but that in negative moments or in the most difficult moments it doesn't turn into something against us. And that also depends, especially, on our fans.
"It's always a special moment, a moment when the tension is at its highest. Obviously we know that we'll always have great support, a full stadium, and that makes all the difference. And without a doubt I've experienced great moments here and I always remember great victories and great goals at this stadium.
"We all know that, often, in football and in life, there are cycles. And I leave satisfied above all because I think that my journey at Benfica was very positive. I am very proud of what I did at Benfica, and that for me is the most important thing. I think that the game against Casa Pia [in which he was booed] was a detail in something that was much bigger because of what I did at Benfica. Therefore, I will keep this club and those memories that are much more positive than that event itself.
"On the first day I arrived here and was introduced, I never imagined that Benfica would give me so much and that I would be able to respond so much and reach a level that I had not yet reached in my career. I leave very happy because I think I achieved very beautiful things here. I had very beautiful moments. I managed to become champion, which was a great desire of mine, and I leave very complete because Benfica gave me so much.
"I want to thank them, because they have really given me a lot over the years. They have helped me a lot. The people I deal with every day, on the streets and everything, have always been very grateful for the work I have done here at Benfica, for having been Benfica's captain, for everything.
“I want to thank them because they have really been decisive for me. We have had some wonderful moments, and they will always be in my heart, because, from today onwards, I will be one more person rooting for Benfica to always be champions. And I hope to be back here at Estádio da Luz soon, supporting Benfica."
By @SeanGillen9
