Juventus forward Conceicao rejects super-sub label and hails father Sergio as ‘main advisor’

Francisco Conceicao has spoken warmly about his father Sergio and offered a respectful nod to Fabio Cannavaro ahead of Portugal’s second World Cup group game against Uzbekistan, as the Juventus winger prepares to face the Italian legend who was his father’s former international teammate.

Speaking at a press conference in Palm Beach, with quotes via the Corriere dello Sport, Conceicao was asked about Cannavaro, now coaching Uzbekistan, and the family connection to his father’s former colleague.

“We have not spoken about Cannavaro, but I know he was a great player, a legend,” he said. “I know Italian coaches well and I know their strategy will be to delay our goal for as long as possible. We know what difficulties await us.”

The winger also pushed back on the perception that he is purely a substitute option at international level.

“I would like to be known simply as Francisco Conceicao,” he said. “If one is talking about a player who only comes on in the last 10 or 15 minutes, that is not quite right. I play at Juventus in Serie A and I have been a regular starter for my club.”

On making history as the first Portuguese father-son pair to both play at a World Cup, Conceicao was reflective.

“My father told me that a small mistake can compromise everything, that is precisely what we want to avoid,” he said. “My father is my main advisor. There is no one better to talk to about football. He helps me a great deal both in football and in personal life.”