“It’s a new and different reality for me. I was very well received here, I’m happy to be here and I want to help the team. I certainly believe that on Saturday everything will go well, we will get the victory and we will bring joy to the Mozambican people,” said the midfielder.
The player from Desportivo de Chaves, who is a teammate of Bruno Langa, believes in the national team's qualification for the tournament that will take place in Ivory Coast between January and February of next year, and says he doesn't feel pressured by making his debut in an important game for Mozambique's qualification.
“"It's normal pressure for a football player, we're prepared to deal with it, I believe the response will be good, even more so playing at home, and things will certainly go well," said Ricardo Guimarães.
The midfielder, born on November 14, 1995, meaning he is 27 years old, says he has little information about African football, however he mentioned that “I know some players and the reality, but I'm here and I will certainly learn more. Bruno Langa told me some good things, clearly Europe is better than Africa, than Mozambique, in this aspect of football, the conditions are totally different, but football has its value here and there are also good players”.
“It’s a feeling of pride to be able to represent a country, I’m very happy to have reached this point, to be here with you all, this is my country too at this moment,” said the midfielder, who is setting foot on Mozambican soil for the first time.
At the end of the conversation with journalists, Guima left a message for the Mambas fans: "Let's go together, let's all go, we're counting on you at Zimpeto, at three in the afternoon.".
Guima, as he is known in football circles, is the son of a Portuguese father who has lived in the country for 12 years and a Mozambican mother. This second fact fulfills one of the legal requirements for obtaining Mozambican nationality through naturalization, namely descent (consanguinity). In other words, Guima acquired Mozambican nationality through naturalization because he has the blood of someone born on Mozambican soil.
