Portuguese giants FC Porto early this week completed the signing of Marius Mouandilmadji, a young forward from Chad. The youngster penned a four-year long contract valid until June 30th, 2022.
Journey To Porto
The 20-year-old attacker is a product of Gazelle Football Club, a local club in his native Chad where he first made his name before heading to Cameroon to join Coton Sport.
The youngster did not waste time to make his mark on Cameroonian football, as he won the golden boot in his first season joint with Junior Rostand Mbai both on 18 goals.
With these numbers, the Portuguese club could not resist to capture the signature of the 2017 Chad player of the year.
Joining the 2004 UEFA Champions League winners, Marius was quick to heap praises on his new coach Sérgio Conceição who he revealed was one of the reasons he chose to join the club.
“FC Porto is a great club. I know FC Porto very well. I know it’s a great club in Europe. Many great players have come here and have a great coach like Sérgio Conceição. It was one of the reasons to come here,” he said.
Landing at a club with a huge profile like Porto comes with an onus of responsibility and set out targets. However, Marius doesn’t wish to be drawn into making season objectives preferring instead to face the challenge ahead.
“I do not want to make a lot of promises to the fans. I prefer to face the challenge that lies ahead, to work and to ensure that I can show the fans what I can do on the pitch. I want to adapt and then grow up with the team,” he said.
The Pride Of Chad
Joining a club with a rich history that FC Porto has is something any player would be proud of and more so one from a country not so known for its footballing prowess.
Marius is carrying the hopes of his nation as he will now be a point of reference and role model to many footballers in his country harboring ambition of playing in Europe.
Porto FC is assured of support from Chad with many soccer mad people from the Central African country hoping he hit the ground running and pave way for his compatriots to switch to the Portuguese league.
Mouandilmadji will be crucial in spurring his country’s attempt to make a first ever Africa Cup of Nations appearance in the future.
Playing Style And Competition For A Place
The erstwhile Coton Sport go-to-guy for goals becomes the sixth African attacker at the Estádio do Dragão outfit after Cameroon international striker Vincent Aboubakar, Mali forward Moussa Marega, Algeria captain Yacine Brahimi, Nigeria’s Mikel Agu and Ghana international Majeed Waris.
He has good eye for goal making him an ideal striker and his positioning is top notch but he has a lot of work to do to secure a place in coach Conceição’s squad.
With the above mentioned strikers already having a grip on the set up and accustomed to Porto’s playing style, it will be hard for the Chadian to break into the starting eleven.
Replicating his Cameroon form at Porto will be something top on his priority list but can he survive it in the face of experienced strikers as his competitors? It won’t be long until we find out.
