It's not just about the scoreline. That's the thing you quickly learn talking to Ruben Amorim. After Manchester United's narrow defeat to Arsenal, the air in the room crackled not with the sting of loss, but a quiet defiance. A sense, almost, of quiet pride.
"Better team?" I asked, echoing his post-match sentiment. Amorim leaned back, a slight smile playing on his lips. It wasn't arrogance, but conviction. "Look, the stats tell a story, sure. Possession, shots on goal... but the real story is in the belief. Did we play with fear? Did we shrink under pressure? No. We built something here, brick by brick. And today, even in defeat, you saw the foundation."
He gestures around the training ground – not lavish, but functional, a testament to resourcefulness over excess. "This isn't built on money, you know? It's built on sweat, on trust, on a shared vision. When I arrived, the players... they were good, technically. But the mentality... it was fragile. We had to break that down and rebuild. I spent weeks just talking, understanding their fears, their dreams. It wasn't about tactics at first. It was about creating a family."
Amorim paused, eyes scanning the pitch outside. "My father was a builder. He taught me the importance of a strong foundation. You can have the fanciest facade, but if the foundation is weak, the whole thing crumbles. That's what I've tried to instill here. We focus on the foundation: the work ethic, the camaraderie, the belief in each other. The results? They will come."
He continued: "It's easy to get caught up in the glamour of football, the big contracts, the celebrity. But for me, it's always been about the work. The satisfaction of seeing a group of individuals come together, united by a common goal. That's what drives me. Today’s performance, even in defeat? That shows me we're on the right path. It proves the foundation holds."
And with that, he excused himself, a training session beckoning. The scent of freshly cut grass hung in the air, a reminder of the tangible work, the daily grind, that underpins Amorim's philosophy. The game is more than wins or losses; it's about building something lasting, something real. The score may say Arsenal won, but in Amorim's eyes, the foundation held firm. And that, in itself, is a victory... for now.