For the 16th edition we bring you a well-known star from the national scene: André Horta from SC Braga! We found out that the bug for Football Manager has been with him for some years, and we wanted to know more about that, as well as about his adventure in MLS, playing for Los Angeles FC.
Having played for Benfica, Vit. Setúbal, Los Angeles FC (MLS) and currently playing for SC Braga, he told us, among various other topics, which moment stood out most from his time in the USA.
Join us in this conversation and find out more about this star!
FMPortugal.net: How did this passion of yours for CM/FM come about? What's your fondest memory from when you first got 'hooked'?
André Horta: It came about 'because of' the passion I had for football. My brother (Ricardo Horta) and I started playing because of an uncle of ours who was 'hooked', and since we spent a lot of time with him, we ended up starting to play too. My fondest memory is of the whole afternoons the three of us spent playing (each on our own computer), but always sharing experiences we'd had in the game and players who were emerging in each league.
FMPortugal.net: Have you ever won everything there was to win with a team? What's your greatest achievement and which club did you do it with?
André Horta: I had one particular career that I had an absolute blast playing: I'm not sure if it was FM 2009 or 2010, I started at Palermo and over 22 seasons… I won 18 league titles, 4 Champions Leagues and countless domestic cups. It was BEAUTIFUL! (laughs)
FMPortugal.net: Regarding how you're portrayed in FM, what would you change for better… and for worse? We might look into it… (laughs)
André Horta: Actually, I'm portrayed really well! Maybe even too well. (laughs) I score a lot of goals in FM and I wish it were as easy in real life as it is in the game! (laughs)
FMPortugal.net: Do you usually follow your player's career path? Or do you always try to bring him to whichever team you're managing? (laughs)
André Horta: Honestly, no. The only time I 'signed myself' was when I was managing Benfica, because since my first save save is always with Benfica, I ended up signing myself. But don't think I was biased! In the first season I always put myself on the bench! (laughs) I still needed to develop before I could 'earn' a starting spot, but by the second season I played almost every game because I was already a level above. (laughs)
FMPortugal.net: Have you ever played FM with fellow professional players? Can you reveal some names?
André Horta: I've played several times! In 2017 (during my first spell at Braga), Me, Ricardo Horta, Fábio Martins, Wilson Eduardo and Ricardo Esgaio we started an online league… but Wilson Eduardo got sacked around matchday 6 or 7 and the spirit kind of died there a bit! (laughs) Because he got sacked so early, we never got around to continuing the save online league.
FMPortugal.net: Now about your career: you were in the USA playing for Los Angeles FC. What made you come back?
André Horta: I made that choice because I wasn't playing as much as I wanted, and I felt there was a strong desire from Braga for my return, so when the opportunity came up I jumped at it 'without hesitation' to return to a home that means so much to me.
FMPortugal.net: You shared the pitch with stars that most of us only see on TV. What's the best moment you took from your time in MLS?
André Horta: The best moment I took from that adventure was playing against Nicolás Gaitán, swapping shirts with him afterwards, and getting to share a few minutes of conversation with someone who had given so much to Portuguese football.
FMPortugal.net: Have you ever used FM to find out about a player's attributes when he was being linked with a move to some team?
André Horta: Many times! There are even several situations where I get to know them first in FM (and see that they're good) and later end up reading and hearing news about them in real life. The most recent time that happened to me was with Havertz from Leverkusen who I kept signing in FM 2019 because he was a machine, but I didn't know him in 'real life' .. 2-3 months later I started hearing about him in reality for clubs like Bayern Munich, Barcelona, etc…
FMPortugal.netAny funny story you can share with us that's 'FM's fault'?
André Horta: I remember the league I won with Palermo because I managed to sign world-class stars like Messi and Ibrahimovic at the end of their careers, playing for my team already aged 35/36! I managed to sign them, which was impossible under normal circumstances, but back then, since I was the best team in Europe, pulling off that feat wasn't hard. (laughs)
FMPortugal.net: Even though you still have a huge career ahead of you, has playing FM made you want to become a manager once it's time to hang up your boots? Or haven't you even thought about that yet?
André Horta: Honestly, I haven't thought about it yet. Even though I love playing FM, I know that in reality there are difficulties that aren't easy to translate into the game, so leading a dressing room isn't as easy as it seems. I'll think about it more towards the end of my career. Until then, I want to enjoy this magnificent sport that is football!
Quick Questions:
First edition you played?
FM 2006
Favourite edition?
I can't pick just one: I loved them all!
Favourite league to play in?
English league
Favourite player you've ever had in any edition?
Carlos Fierro
Best club you've seen your player transfer to (without any influence from you)?
I honestly don't know because I don't usually follow 'my own' path… (laughs)
We were absolutely delighted to have a player like André Horta here with us. Thank you for your kindness and willingness to talk more about this passion that unites so many football fans! With regular appearances in SC Braga's games, we'll be eager to see how far you'll 'fly'. We'll keep following your career closely here.
Here are some of his best moments while playing for Sporting Clube de Braga:
