Semen Padang Chief Executive Officer Win Bernadino said that the compatibility factor was a strong reason and consideration for management to recruit a number of Portuguese players or those who previously played in the Portuguese League to strengthen Semen Padang FC in the 2025-2026 League 1 season.
"Last season, when we brought in players of Portuguese nationality or who had played in the Portuguese League, it yielded positive results because they immediately had a good match with the coach," said Semen Padang FC CEO Win Bernadino in Padang, Tuesday.
In the 2025-2026 transfer window, the Kabau Sirah Team has again recruited three Portuguese players. The three are Pedro Matos, Angelo Meneses and Rui Rampa.
Previously, Semen Padang FC was first strengthened by Filipe Chaby from Portugal and Bruno Gomes from Brazil but has played with several Portuguese League clubs. Not only that, the club from Ranah Minang also has a Portuguese center back, Marco Baixinho.
According to Win, smooth communication between players who are directly coached by Eduardo Almeida and also have Portuguese passports has had a positive impact on the club both on and off the field.
The decision to recruit a number of foreign players from Portugal is also inseparable from the evaluation of the previous season, especially in the first half. In the first round, Semen Padang FC stumbled and sank to the bottom of the standings.
The negative results experienced by Semen Padang are inseparable from the recruitment of foreign players that did not meet expectations plus coaching issues. This has an impact on the performance and team cohesion during the middle of the season, said Win.
"So, when coach Edu arrived in the second round of last season, we recruited many players who previously played in the Portuguese League. Moreover, coach Edu understands the character of Portuguese League players," he explained.