MILAN – He's the guy at the heart of his team's attacks. And the one who adds balance in defence. The one who rarely opts for the Hollywood pass and is unerringly accurate in possession. The one whose ability to read the game means he's always in the right place at the right time to provide cover. The one whose work over the 90 minutes probably goes unnoticed by the average fan blindly following the ball during the game.
Ever since he first laced up his boots as a nipper, abandoning his home city of Porto to join Sporting's youth academy - the best in the country - Joao Mario has personified the qualities of team play. His approach to the game is built upon the sturdy pillars of professionalism and respect, taught to him by his unyielding mother Lidia and his father, also called Joao Mario. Joao Snr. took Joao and his brother Wilson to the head of Sporting's academy, Aurelio Pereira, one of the best talent scouts in the world. His mum soon came south to Lisbon as well; as a diehard Sporting fan, she much preferred the idea of seeing her boys in the green-and-white shirt.
Sporting have one of the best hotbeds of talent in Europe and they cotton on quickly to someone of Joao Mario's quality. He began as a centre-back, since his already developed physique allowed him to excel there, but as he advanced up through the age groups he played in numerous other positions too. Evidence, if ever you needed it, of the boy's innate ability at reading the game. It is precisely this attribute that has always caught the eye of coaches and experts alike - those who live for the minutiae of the game as opposed to the ordinary fans sucked in by the spectacular.
Sporting youth-team coach Luis Goncalves sold him the idea of playing as a central defensive midfielder. It's not a phrase used lightly because, as all his coaches at the Portuguese club will attest, Joao Mario always questions things, takes an interest and wants to understand every decision. This is part of his passion for the game, his desire to master and honour it. As part of his apprenticeship in Lisbon, he would also feature as a classic central midfielder, a box-to-box player and even as a No.10. Everywhere his effortless reading of the game shone through.
Inter first laid eyes on him during the quarter-finals of the NextGen Series in 2011/12, the forerunner to today's UEFA Youth League won that year by Andrea Stramaccioni's excellent crop of Primavera youngsters. Joao Mario played in central midfield that day and stood out as one of the best players on the pitch. His performance couldn't fail to draw the attention of those in the know, including Piero Ausilio, who has a knack for spotting up-and-coming stars.
Next in his development were important learning curves at Sporting's B-team plus a stint on loan at Vitoria Setubal, a city and a club close to every Inter fan's heart as the birthplace of treble-winning coach Jose Mourinho.
The Sporting academy advocates an attacking brand of football – and an efficient one too, judging by the long list of honours claimed by the club's development teams. At Vitoria, under Jose Couceiro, Joao Mario was able to further his football education by playing in a team almost constantly on the back foot, that rarely saw much of the ball and based its game on defending as a unit then breaking forward at the opportune moment.
Needless to say, he won over everyone in Setubal with his performances on the pitch and his polite, respectful demeanour off it. He showed glimpses of a world-beater during his six-month stay at Vitoria and was clearly destined for greater things. Sporting welcomed him back with open arms.
The next season Marco Silva played him on the right in a 4-3-3 and that's when Portugal discovered a key midfielder for the next decade to come.
His outstanding ability to read the game served him well a year later when Jorge Jesus joined Sporting, bringing with him the highly attacking 4-1-3-2 system that he'd enjoyed so much success with at Sporting's historic rivals Benfica. Under the new coach, Joao Mario was employed in various roles in a brand of football where the principles – not a fixed playing system – dictate the team's play. A brand of football where you're kept constantly on your toes – perfect for Joao Mario.
It was much the same in a Portugal side looking for something a bit different from a traditional 4-3-3 to get around the age-old problem of not having an out-and-out target man. Under Fernando Santos, players switch positions constantly and are asked to carry out specific tasks, not stick to precise positions. This of course is the same side that would finally win Portugal its first trophy.
Joao Mario was phenomenal in the semi-final and final at Euro 2016: always ready to provide cover, bring the ball forward (one of the defining moments of Portugal's success was Joao surging forward while fending off the attentions of Paul Pogba) or find a team-mate in the right place at the right time – even in the final third with killer passes the likes of which you normally expect from a No.10.
Inter came calling and he answered enthusiastically. And so he bid goodbye to his fans in his usual balanced, simple manner: “From today I'm just another Sporting fan and I always will be. Thanks for everything.”
In his short time at Inter he's already drawn gasps of appreciation from the San Siro faithful – the sort normally reserved for truly world-class players.
Joao Mario is easy to spot out on the pitch: he's the one who always does the right thing.
