Two minutes plus injury time to secure Cagliari and Serie A. Zé Pedro, one of the latest signings of the Rossoblu transfer market, made his debut against Parma on Saturday, coming on for Folorunsho in the 88th minute: just the final touches of the triumphant 2-0 win on matchday three , but which earned him his first appearance in Italy. "When the opportunity to come to Cagliari came up, I was thrilled," the Portuguese defender told the club's official channels.
The Italian league has always fascinated me. The club and the fans welcomed me with open arms. I immediately felt at home, and I'm very grateful for that. I know a great Portuguese player like Bruno Alves was here, and I hope to leave behind equally wonderful memories.
Zé Pedro arrived from Porto on the final day of the transfer window, joining Cagliari alongside fellow signing Juan Rodríguez (who's still awaiting his first call-up). He had also played in the Club World Cup in the United States in June with the Portuguese side and had started the season, so the Rossoblu call came as a pleasant surprise: "Sardinia was one of the destinations I would have chosen for my holidays during the first international break in September," he revealed. "Then the transfer market evolved, and this time I came here to work and sign a contract with Cagliari . It's my first real experience away from home: in Porto I was close to family and friends, here I'm definitely in a different context. But the fans, my teammates, and the staff made me feel at ease from day one. They always asked if I needed anything with great concern. It means a lot to me."
Born in 1998, Zé Pedro describes himself as "a fast, aggressive defender, and a strong aerial presence: these are my main qualities, and I try to improve them every day." His goal is to earn his first call-up to the national team ("I make no secret of this ambition: representing Portugal would be extraordinary, playing in Serie A could help me take a step forward") and cites Pepe, Sergio Ramos, Ricardo Carvalho, and Hummels among his role models, plus Rúben Dias and van Dijk as current defenders . "As a child, I watched my father, who played, although not at the highest level: he played as a defensive midfielder or central defender, and in a way, I followed in his footsteps."