Joao Moutinho has told Bruno Lage that he feels 28 after his excellent start to the season at Wolverhampton Wanderers. The veteran midfielder, who sits second on Portugal’s all-time appearance list with 138 caps, has appeared rejuvenated in the opening weeks of this season under Lage. And Moutinho doesn’t seem ready to retire any time soon, despite celebrating his 35th birthday earlier this month.
Bruno Lage said: “I think it was his birthday last week. He said to me: ‘I feel 28!’. I’m happy with him so we cannot look at his age. In these situations, for this kind of player, we need to look at what he’s doing on the pitch.”
He’s started all five of Wolves’ matches under Lage, and the new head coach is delighted with the midfielder’s contribution. Asked how long Moutinho could play on for,
Bruno Lage added: “It depends on him. If he’s training hard, rests, knows his body, he can continue to play. I cannot predict the future, even just for myself, I live day by day. I prepare for training, then another, then I prepare for a game. That’s just our life, and I think it’s the same for them. We don’t think about the future. I see him every day with a big motivation to be a better player, to improve himself and help the team to be better. I talk with him the same way I talk with a guy who is 18-years-old. I see him with a lot of experience, but also with a lot of will to be better every day.”
