José Fonte will turn 39 in December, but the Portugal and Lille defender has scarcely played as much football as he has during the last year. As skipper of the French side and a regular for the Selecao, Fonte remains as active now as at any point since turning professional some twenty years ago.
Fonte was named Lille’s Player of the Year last term, having played every single minute of action in Ligue 1 – the oldest in history to do so – and clocking 49 appearances in total for club and country. As he prepares to enter his 40th year, Fonte spoke to L’Equipe about his longevity and plans for the future.
“To maintain myself I have to do my work every week, with double sessions, then train alone at night,” he told the French publication. “It doesn't drain me, it's something I like, it's a lifestyle. I don't see it as something I have to do. It's like drinking water! I like this job, it doesn’t take too much out of me.
“I know that if I stop, I will feel my tendons. I’m fine, I know my body well. And if I stop, as soon as pre-season starts, I know I'm going to have problems with my Achilles tendon. That's what you get for having almost 800 games.”
While clearly still a key player for his club and a regular in Fernando Santos’ Portugal squad, Fonte’s advancing years inevitably lead to questions over when he is likely to hang up his boots. For the Penafiel-born man, the subject is not an immediate concern as he focuses on the short term.
“Right now, stopping is something I can't imagine. I'm starting to get the feeling it's going to happen. In a year, two years, three years, I don't know, but it will happen. But to tell the truth, I only think about the next game.”
When that day comes, Fonte has been suggested by some as a potential coach. Lille boss Paulo Fonseca revealed last week that the defender has been a massive help to the technical staff and possesses an influential voice in the dressing room.
“Coaching is a real option,” Fonte says. “I have the ambition to coach. I have this thing in me that I want to help. I like to see players grow, improve. I know I have a lot of experience, I know what I can bring. I know football well. It's something I want to do.”
By Sean Gillen
