Ricardo Quaresma is Portugal’s lost star

By Niccolo Conte | 12th November 2009

Ricardo Quaresma is Portugal's lost star | read this item

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Portugal is a country that has always produced wingers of the highest class, from old school stars like Luis Figo to the current legends in the making like Cristiano Ronaldo. Everybody in Portugal always said that Quaresma had an extraordinary amount of talent; a player with speed, toughness, and the ability to create something out of nothing. Quaresma seemed one of the greatest young prospects for Portugal.

Ever since he moved to Inter Milan, Quaresma changed into a completely different player. He was specially requested by Mourinho and moved to the Italian champions in the final days of the summer transfer market. Ricardo Quaresma was a big name that added flair to Italian football, La Trivela was ready to shine. But Quaresma was unable to produce on the field, he seemed flat and lifeless, creating little and scoring less. Quaresma had a disappointing first season, and it seems that his second season might be very similar.

But what exactly caused this change? How could such a phenomenal player change so much? The answer is Quaresma’s mental attitude: he tried to pull off tricks that didn’t work on tough Italian defenders, and as more and more people started to notice his failures, he became demoralized. Cristiano Ronaldo became a star in the Premiership because of gritty determination; his first year he was a young Portuguese boy trying to step over the ball as much as he could, but with time he started lifting weights, taking training seriously, and dedicating himself to improving every aspect of his game.

He became the world class player we now know, not only mystifying defenders with stepovers, but also outrunning and physically muscling through them. Quaresma never had this sense of dedication, and although talent takes you a long way, sometimes it isn’t enough.

Having played few matches for Inter Milan this season, Quaresma looks to be leaving in the January transfer window. Last season he went on loan to Chelsea for half of the season, with only four disappointing appearances, and he was then sent back to Serie A.

But Quaresma can still have a future. If he begins to show more determination and grit, he might have a chance to prove himself and could stick around until the end of the the season. In case he were to move to another club, he could start to shine. At 26 years of age he still has a future ahead, and hopefully the lost star can shine once more, brighter than ever.

Andy says:

November 14, 2009 at 5:10 pm

Overrated. End of.

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Bob says:

November 13, 2009 at 5:40 am

He would be good for pool with their lack of depth in midfield, he could go on the right and allow Kuyt to go back up front along with Torres. Either way i think he would be better suited to Blackburn rofl!!

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Niccolo Conte says:

November 12, 2009 at 8:48 pm

I agree, if he could move to a club where he would be in the starting 11, I think Quaresma would re-emerge as a great player.

Man City could be perfect.

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Brian Lofrumento says:

November 12, 2009 at 1:01 pm

Mike…that’s a really good proposal. I think he’d work wonders at City.

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Mike Diamente says:

November 12, 2009 at 12:57 pm

It doesn’t help that he never gets any playing time wherever he goes…

perhaps a team as big as Inter or Chelsea isn’t the right fit for him. He should go to a smaller club where he would start.

Perhaps Man City or even back to Porto.

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