Stephen Eustaquio has set his sights on reaching the Championship play-offs with Swansea City after completing his summer move from Porto. The 29-year-old Canada captain arrives at the club following a standout World Cup campaign in which his goal against South Africa sent his nation to the last 16 for the first time in their history.
Emotional World Cup moment
Speaking inside Swansea's Fairwood training ground after being confirmed as the club's latest signing, Eustaquio admitted the emotions of that achievement were overwhelming. "Everything I do is for my family, for my parents, for my girlfriend, for my daughter. For my friends back home. For everyone," he said.
The midfielder had suffered the pain of seeing his mother pass away following a battle with brain cancer in 2023, before losing his father a year later due to a heart attack. "I think a football player, during their years and years, they work and they work and they work, and normally when they work on the shadow," he said. "Normally when something like this happens we tend to remember who's been there for us in the past couple of years. So that was just a moment that happened to me and I was very calm and very humble about the situation and I was ready for the next game after the interview."
From Porto to South Wales
Having spent five years at Portuguese giants Porto, where he played in the Champions League, Europa League, and the Club World Cup, Eustaquio leaves with goodwill from the club. "Dragon in body and soul," was the tribute posted by the Portuguese giants when his move to south Wales, believed to be around £3m, was confirmed.
"It's always hard to leave a place that I've had to call home," he said. "I had an amazing experience there. I entered as a kid and I leave as a man. But in life we have to move on and I'm glad that I have that experience in my backpack to keep going."
Eustaquio made nearly 150 appearances for Porto. Reflecting on how the move came about, he said: "My agent called me saying that there was a possibility of Swansea being in the race [to sign me]. I said 'OK, let me look more into it'. When I knew about what happened last season and when I knew about the coach being Portuguese, a coach that loves to have possession and loves to take responsibility of the game, I think it's something that really suits my profile. Hopefully if everything goes well we can make it to the play-offs and then who knows."
Celebrity encounters
The Canada captain joins during an exciting time for Swansea, with the backing of Luka Modric and Snoop Dogg potentially elevating the club's status on the world stage. Eustaquio is used to stardust courtesy of his time on loan with LAFC last season. "It's normal. In LAFC, it was the same. The first game we won against Inter Miami, Will Ferrell came into the locker room," he said. "I was in my boxers and I was like 'this is weird!', but MLS was a good league to prep myself for this summer and I had a good summer."
He hasn't yet had a chance to speak to Snoop, but he has already encountered a Swansea institution, having been unveiled outside infamous chippy Rossi's. "We just had to go there to do some filming, I was told Swansea fans only believe someone's signing when they're at the door of Rossi's," he said. Asked if he has a go-to order, he replied: "Not yet. I will. I will in the future."
