Is Neno... God?!
Just when I thought I was a normal person...But let's start from the beginning, some years ago while watching Sporting 3-6 Benfica (that year Benfica went on to win the League) someone amongst my friends shouted out "This man is a God!" referring to Neno after another world-class save (actually he never really had many...).
From then on, me and my friends decided to meet for dinner every 27th of January to celebrate Neno's birthday.
What started out just as a friend's dinner turned into an actual celebration later to be called "Nenatal" (or Neno's Christmas)...
It includes an exchange of gifts, Neno's Christmas tree, psalms and even Bible readings adapted to Neno... a new religion was born!
But it wasn't until this year that it became publicly-known as it was subject to a front cover and a 12 page interview in "Pública" the magazine of the famous Portuguese newspaper "Público".
Even though I did not have the chance to participate in this year's Nenatal, I am credited in the interview with sentences such as:
"Our worship started from all the values that Neno transmitted to us, far outside the patterns of a star-player"
"His image is to be a mere symbol of humility and friendship, but on the other hand it is also a mocking of the exaggerated worship to certain public figures these days"
"We are not insane nor unbalanced! Neno's dimension as God is symbolic, don't expect us to celebrate weddings and christenings"
The chance of risking going on foot from Santarém to Guimarães (where Neno lives) is a much debated issue. "It shall happen!" says Pedro Russo "Neno willing...".
From then on, me and my friends decided to meet for dinner every 27th of January to celebrate Neno's birthday.
What started out just as a friend's dinner turned into an actual celebration later to be called "Nenatal" (or Neno's Christmas)...
It includes an exchange of gifts, Neno's Christmas tree, psalms and even Bible readings adapted to Neno... a new religion was born!
But it wasn't until this year that it became publicly-known as it was subject to a front cover and a 12 page interview in "Pública" the magazine of the famous Portuguese newspaper "Público".
Even though I did not have the chance to participate in this year's Nenatal, I am credited in the interview with sentences such as:
"Our worship started from all the values that Neno transmitted to us, far outside the patterns of a star-player"
"His image is to be a mere symbol of humility and friendship, but on the other hand it is also a mocking of the exaggerated worship to certain public figures these days"
"We are not insane nor unbalanced! Neno's dimension as God is symbolic, don't expect us to celebrate weddings and christenings"
The chance of risking going on foot from Santarém to Guimarães (where Neno lives) is a much debated issue. "It shall happen!" says Pedro Russo "Neno willing...".
