Portugal recognition for Hearts talisman
Braga has become the talk of Portugal following his sensational form at Tynecastle, and the Hearts striker admits that the prospect of linking up with Ronaldo has surpassed his wildest expectations. Since arriving from Norwegian side Aalesund last summer, the forward has been a revelation under Derek McInnes, racking up 16 goals and six assists across all competitions to spearhead a genuine Scottish title charge. The striker’s impact in Edinburgh has caught the eye of national team scouts back home, pushing him into the conversation for a place in Martinez's squad ahead of the World Cup.
The Ronaldo celebration dilemma
One particular talking point surrounding Braga is his use of the iconic 'Siuuu' celebration, made famous by his idol, Ronaldo. Should the two share a pitch for the national team, Braga is well aware that he might have to defer to the Al-Nassr superstar. "I’ll need to talk with the boss about that," Braga joked when asked about the potential clash of celebrations, per Edinburgh News. "I'll talk with him but probably no. There he is the main man!
"He's somebody that every kid in Portugal looked up to and I still think they look up to Ronaldo a lot because he is just an inspiration. My name has been talked about but it’s all with my agents. I just try to focus as much as I can here.
"Of course it's good to feel that the coach knows who you are and everything else. That's something that I never dreamt of and just being in that position is amazing... I feel for me it was good in a way that I had no name in Portugal before I came to Hearts. Here I was recognised a little bit but in Portugal nobody knew a lot about my name. Thank God I have been talked now and the national team has also been a talk. I am really happy with that."
Chasing history under McInnes
Hearts are currently fighting to become the first non-Old Firm team to win the title since Sir Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen in 1985. The pressure of leading the Scottish Premiership is high, but the Portuguese ace is embracing the challenge as the season reaches its climax.
"We're doing something that's not been done in a long time and we’re doing something special," Braga added. "If we're not ready now, then I don't think we will ever be. We have a lot of big personalities and everybody is loving the time that we are having at Hearts. So we just need to push each other to do a little bit more, be more demanding on the pitch. We know we are first place and we can't run away from that."
A dramatic stumble at Livingston
Hearts' singular focus on the title was put to a stern test over the weekend during a frantic 2-2 draw away to Livingston. Braga once again proved his worth, netting a close-range header early in the second half to put the Jambos 2-1 ahead after Lawrence Shankland had canceled out Stevie May's early opener for the hosts. However, the lead was short-lived, as Livingston quickly responded through Lewis Smith to ensure a share of the spoils. The tense affair concluded with Hearts desperately defending their point after being reduced to ten men following a late red card for Marc Leonard. Despite the dropped points in a high-pressure environment, McInnes' side ultimately held on to their precious lead at the Premiership summit, one point clear of Rangers.