Vieira set his sights on the continent: “A win for Europe”

By now, it’s definitive: the boy has become a man.

The maturity of Ronaldo Vieira’s performance last night belied his tender years, as he gave off the impression of a battle-hardened veteran happy to go toe-to-toe with such units as Tiemoue Bakayoko and Lucas Biglia.

“It was a great team performance,” the midfielder began. “We did superbly, right until the final whistle, creating four or five clear chances. Collectively we did a superb job, defending and attacking together.”

Even the fact that the Englishman declared himself fit to play was an extraordinary feat, given the knee problems he returned with from international duty.

“I got injured playing for the Under-20s, but as soon as I returned, I told the gaffer: “If you want me, I’ll play.” The team is strong and the league is balanced; this win puts us on the path to Europe. It will be important to continue in this spirit, hoping to always get the three points and play at our best.

“As for the fans,” Vieira concluded, “playing at home is a different matter altogether. Walking off to applause was a lovely feeling.”