João Neves is no longer limited to discussing football, he is also fluent in French. And in every appearance, with great ease. Arriving last summer in Paris Saint-Germain, João Neves (20 years old), a Portuguese midfielder, soon found his mark in his new club. Indispensable in Luis Enrique’s system, it shines on the ground… but not only. In an interview with The Athletic, João Neves said he had made significant progress in French, to the point of thinking spontaneously in that language. “At first, everyone spoke to me in French and I was thinking in English. Today, my first thoughts come directly to me in French, it’s really great,” he said. He adds: “I love this language, I like to learn, understand and speak it. A French friend helps me a lot by always speaking to me in French to make progress.” This rapid adaptation is a sign of great maturity and commitment on the part of João Neves, which confirms its potential on and off the ground. And that’s good, because a big challenge awaits him tonight against Arsenal.