FC Porto Fans Poised to Crown Their 2024/25 Dragão de Ouro

Few awards stir as much conversation along the banks of the Douro as the Dragões de Ouro. With votes now sealed and anticipation mounting ahead of the 1 December gala, four very different footballers—Samu, Rodrigo Mora, Iván Marcano and Nico González—stand on the brink of being named FC Porto’s player of the year. Their candidacies reveal as much about the club’s present identity as they do about its future direction.

Snapshot of the race

A prolific Samu who arrived only last August, an 18-year-old prodigy named Rodrigo Mora, the evergreen Iván Marcano recovering from serious injury at 38, and the departed but still beloved Nico González all framed the 2024/25 season narrative at the Dragão. Supporters weighed goals, leadership, resilience and loyalty when casting their single online ballot before the 20 November deadline.

The numbers behind the emotion

Statistics rarely win trophies outright, yet they offer a compelling lens. Leading the charge is Samu, whose 25 league strikes (27 in all competitions) delivered a goal every 131 minutes and earned consecutive monthly league honours. Rodrigo Mora, despite playing just 338 senior minutes, turned one of those spells into a crucial winner and displayed a pass-completion rate above 90 %. Veteran Iván Marcano contributed not only defensive stability—averaging 4.2 clearances per match—but also etched his name into club lore as the most prolific scoring defender in Porto history. Meanwhile Nico González, before crossing the Channel to Manchester City in February, left behind seven goals, six assists and a midfield tempo the squad still strives to replicate. These raw figures, blended with silverware that includes the Supertaça, underpin each nomination.

Old guard meets new blood

Beyond numbers lies narrative. Marcano symbolises the steadfast core that once conquered Europe, his comeback applauded even by rival pundits. Mora represents the academy’s renewed ability to pipeline talent after years of criticism that youngsters were blocked by imports. Samu’s seamless adaptation speaks to the scouting department’s growing reach into undervalued markets, while Nico’s winter exit reminds fans of the economic realities facing Portuguese clubs in a Premier League-driven landscape. In short, the ballot reads like a referendum on what supporters value most: experience, youth development, transfer acumen or financial pragmatism.

How the voting works

For the second year running, every socio could log in once, mark a single favourite and electronically confirm. The club’s statutes give member participation unique heft; no corporate jury overrides the click of the rank-and-file. Candidates were short-listed by the board using internal performance metrics such as impact in decisive fixtures, sportsmanship, medical-team assessments on minutes missed through injury and—crucially in Porto’s own ethos—intangible criteria like mística. As soon as clocks struck 11 a.m. on 20 November, the digital urns sealed. Results now rest, undisclosed, in an encrypted file until gala night at Dragão Arena.

What is at stake on 1 December

While the trophy itself gleams only in the club museum, its ripple effect is real. Previous winners have leveraged the accolade into improved contracts or marquee transfers; merchandising spikes when a champion’s shirt goes on sale; and the academy frequently cites the victor’s pathway during recruitment pitches. At a sporting level, a win for Mora would cement the club’s commitment to youth; a triumph for Marcano would reinforce the value of continuity; should Samu prevail, expect pressure for an early renewal clause to repel Spanish suitors; and if Nico claims it, the fan base will send a pointed message to decision-makers about appreciation for short but sparkling spells. Either way, the evening promises more than ceremony—it will declare where the Porto family sees its heart and, by extension, where it wants to steer next season.