Amidst chants, applause and hugs, the president of the Sporting supporters' group in the Angolan capital, Nuno Aires, could not hide his joy and satisfaction at winning the coveted trophy.
“There are no words, it is a unique feeling. We fought hard for this, we deserved it more than anyone, and so we are very happy today,” he said.
An emotional Igor Couceiro, 47, said that, for him, the achievement is special because, for the first time, it is seeing Sporting become two-time champions, 71 years later.
“It’s hard to say, it’s very emotional, in fact, it’s quite clear here in Point 7, the emotion that this title brought. I’m 47 years old and I’ve never seen Sporting win the title twice. I’ve seen them win the title several times, but winning the title twice is the first time, so as you can imagine it’s a huge emotion, especially because of all the nuances that have happened throughout the season, the difficulties, the injuries, the change of coaches, and in the end, being crowned champions is memorable and unforgettable,” he said.
The nervousness shown by the Sporting fans turned to joy after the final whistle blew by referee Fábio Veríssimo.
Bruna Ribeiro, in turn, didn’t hide the fact that she feared losing the title. “I have no words, I have been a Sporting fan since I can remember, since I was a little girl. Last year I was at Marquês Pombal celebrating this title, and now I am here, in Luanda, but I celebrate with the same emotion as if I were in Lisbon. I was a little nervous during the game, I won’t lie, but being a Sporting fan means knowing how to suffer and believe, above all,” she said.
The green wave was also joined by children, who did not want to miss the opportunity to see Sporting lift its 21st title, achieved after beating Vitória de Guimarães 2-0, which allowed them to finish the 91st edition of the championship with 82 points and secure their third title in five years.
