Fernando Gomes is leaving his position as financial administrator of FC Porto SAD, the director of the national football runners-up announced this Wednesday, who will cease his duties at the end of his term, shortly after the elections on April 27th.
“I’m proud to have been part of this team and to have contributed to making things go as smoothly as possible, but everything comes to an end. For me, this academy is the end of a daily collaboration with the FC administration Porto”, he said.
Fernando Gomes, 77 years old, spoke during the presentation session of the model of the club’s future academy, at Estádio do Dragão, in Porto, announcing the end of a cycle that began in March 2014, when he replaced Angelino Ferreira in the finance department.
“It could not be said that there was a better way to end a four-year term than with the formal beginning of an infrastructure desired for many years and absolutely necessary so that we can go further than we have done so far”, also assessed the “blue and white” vice president and economist, who boasts a long career in politics.
Former Deputy Minister and Minister of Internal Administration in the XIV Constitutional Government, between 1999 and 2000, Fernando Gomes served as the Secretary of State for Housing and Urbanism in the IX Government, from 1983 to 1985, he led the municipalities of Vila do Conde and Porto and He served as a deputy in the Assembly of the Republic and in the European Parliament.
The administrator of FC Porto SAD highlighted the impact of the 2020-2024 quadrennium on the current state of the “dragons”, crossing “some shocks” with “very good moments”.
In addition to leaving the fair play UEFA’s financial director, praised the signing of a 15-year agreement with the North American company Legends for the commercial exploitation of the Estádio do Dragão, which has already allowed the negative equity capital to be reduced from 175.980 million euros (ME) to almost 8.5 ME on December 31, 2023 and should allow an entry of 60 to 70 ME at the end of the 2023/24 financial year, on June 30.
The president of FC Porto, Pinto da Costa, acknowledged that he was “eternally grateful” to Fernando Gomes, who, before his promotion to the “blue and white” administration, had already passed through the bodies of the SAD Advisory Council and the club’s Superior Council .
“About a year ago, Fernando Gomes told me that he could not continue at FC Porto with the responsibilities he had. I was worried, because we had big problems and this project [da academia] in which he was decisive. He promised me that nothing would come out and that he would continue to have the same enthusiasm. He was the director who, after deciding not to continue, worked the most for FC Porto in my 42 years [de presidência]. You will stay connected to us. For me, it will always be a reference”, she described.
Holder of 15 consecutive terms and leader with the most titles and longevity in world football, Pinto de Costa will run for president of FC Porto with André Villas-Boas, former coach of the football team, and businessman Nuno Lobo, candidate defeated in 2020, in the club elections, which will take place on April 27th, at Estádio do Dragão, in Porto.
