Middlesbrough defender Neto Borges has had quite the transformation at Riverside Stadium in recent weeks, going from boo-boy to liked.
The 28-year-old joined from Clermont Foot of France during the summer transfer window, in a reported £1.3 million transaction.
At the time, Michael Carrick, the head coach of Middlesbrough, stated, “We’re really pleased to bring Neto in.” “He’s a great addition to our team, has good experience, and has good character.”
Having played 61 times in Ligue 1 for Clermont over the last two seasons, optimism was high on Teesside that Boro had secured the signing of a player who could finally put an end to the club’s search for a left-back of the future.
Borges endures challenging start to his debut season with Middlesbrough
However, for the first few months of his Middlesbrough career, Borges endured a Riverside nightmare.
Defensive struggles, being at fault for a number of goals and an obvious lack of confidence and belief made his transition from French football to the English second tier anything but smooth.
As a result, the Brazilian quickly became a target of fan frustration over his performances, with sections of the fanbase already having written him off as a failed piece of recruitment.
Speaking in an interview with the club website via The Northern Echo, Borges opened up on his testing first few months as a Middlesbrough player.
“First when I arrived expectations were high,” he said. “Boro are a big club, I was very excited to join the club but things didn’t work out for the first four or five months.
“Emotionally and on the pitch I wasn’t myself. I was talking to my wife during the first six months and saying I can’t be myself and show the emotion I normally show.
“I wasn’t playing with that fire. It felt hard for me. I was struggling in games. I understand the frustration of the fans and why they didn’t like me to start with.
“The weather was a big, big problem for me. At 4pm it was dark and I wasn’t used to it. But I came here to play football and I started focusing on that. It was a hard six months but now things are in a better place.”
With popular former loan star Ryan Giles returning to Middlesbrough on 23 January, Borges was quickly relegated to the bench, with Carrick opting to side with the left-back he once got so much out of during his 2022/23 campaign on Teesside.
This could’ve been when Borges drifted away into the Riverside shadows, but instead, it would help act as the catalyst for his Boro revival.
Middlesbrough’s injury crisis has paved way for Borges’ Boro U-turn
Having been benched for defeats against Sunderland and Sheffield United respectively, and with Giles putting in two disappointing performances upon his return to the club, Borges was handed another chance.
Middlesbrough may have lost the following two games to Watford and Bristol City, but after the full-time whistle at Ashton Gate in particular, Boro’s Brazilian showcased what all Teessiders want to see more than anything from those who wear their club’s badge on their chest – passion.
Then, on matchday 31, Boro travelled to relegation-threatened Stoke City, where a loss would put Carrick’s position in jeopardy if his team suffered a sixth straight loss.
That wouldn’t be the case, though, as Borges had one of his greatest games of the season as Middlesbrough defeated them 3-1.
Injuries would start to mount in the middle of Middlesbrough’s defence over the next few games, and by the time Boro played QPR on March 11, George Edmundson, Dael Fry, and Rav van den Berg were all out.
As a result, Borges and Jonny Howson, who is 36 years old and not yet fully recovered, would need to play centre back together. Supporters were shocked, but not because of how awful things were—quite the contrary, actually.
The pair put in an immense display of resilience and overcoming adversity. Boro fans had long fallen in love with Howson given the fact he’s been starring for the club since 2017, but for Borges, it was a night that truly earned him a place in the hearts of Middlesbrough fans.
A huge Brazilian cheer reverberated throughout the Riverside with each successful throw-in, corner, tackle, and free-kick. There was a reaction to every gesture directed at the audience asking them to turn up the volume.
Because of this, Middlesbrough supporters now rejoice when they see him on the squad sheet, which is the complete reverse of how they felt earlier in the season.
It has been refreshing to see Borges show his passion and desire to play for the badge, and if he continues to do so, he will soon become a cult figure on Teesside.
