Feyenoord drew 1-1 with FC Twente, failing to win for the ninth time in their last 12 games. Goncalo Borges broke FC Twente's second-half to salvage a point, and despite getting outplayed by the visitors, the Portuguese winger was proud of the team.
"It was really difficult," Borges told ESPN. "The last few weeks have been really hard for us. We stay humble, we keep working hard, but today was a tough game."
Feyenoord allowed Twente to have 14 attempts at goal in the first half, a record for a home game in the Eredivisie since at least 2010. Despite the lack of form, Borges emphasised that the poor start wasn't a result of a lack of confidence.
"It's more the momentum of the game. So sometimes you need to be humbled, stick together, and find a way back into the game. That's what we did in the second half. And I think we are proud of ourselves the way we fight in the second half for the team, for the fans, for everyone."
Touch of Quaresma
Borges got Feyenoord back in it with a goal reminiscent of Ricardo Quaresma's trademark trivela. Did it feel like that for Borges too?
"Yes, he's a good friend of mine. I speak with him a lot, and he's my idol, him and my brother. It was a proud moment for me. I did this at Porto a few times also. It was a good goal, and many more to come."
Borges hasn't played much in the first half of the season, but is confident in his abilities: "This is what I do. When I'm feeling free, when I'm feeling confident, when I'm being myself, this is why I came. And honestly, it's a good goal."
The Portuguese youngster, who joined Feyenoord from Porto for €11 million in the summer of 2025, reflected on a tough first half of the season, noting the passing of his grandmother, which kept him out of the club for some time.
"It was a bit hard, the first six months in a new club and new country are always hard. In the middle of the season, my grandmother also passed, with whom I was really, really connected. So it was not an easy six months, but what I try to do is respond on the pitch when I play."