Vitinha, the 26-year-old midfielder for Paris Saint-Germain and Portugal, opened up in an interview with O Jogo. The Parisian player paid tribute to Luis Enrique, explaining how his coach’s praise reinforces his sense of responsibility.
Vitinha: “It gives you even more responsibility.”
“Luis Enrique? I think it also gives me a great responsibility, because when a coach like Luis Enrique, an iconic figure in our sport, says such things about you, it gives you even more responsibility. You have to be at 100% all the time, make no mistakes, and be there when you’re needed. That’s what I’ve tried to do this season.
I’ve been receiving these compliments for a while now, and I’ve had to learn how to handle them, how to live up to them. That’s what I’ve done, what I’ve tried to do, and that’s what I have to continue doing.” “
Vitinha doesn’t take Luis Enrique’s words as a mere personal reward. He transforms them into a demand. This is precisely what matters to Paris Saint-Germain: their midfielder no longer sees himself simply as an important player, but as a key figure who must deliver consistently over the long term.
This statement also confirms the Spanish coach’s influence on his dressing room. Luis Enrique doesn’t just hand out compliments; he sets a high standard. For Vitinha, the praise is therefore twofold: he values his coach’s opinion while accepting the pressure that comes with it.
In today’s PSG, this management of responsibilities is essential. Individual brilliance is no longer enough: key players must live up to their status without sacrificing the collective intensity. Vitinha seems to have fully grasped this concept.”
