Aged 16, Gomes decided to swap a rugby ball for a football, a decision he could not have foreseen going so successfully when in his hometown of Cascais, 19 miles west of Lisbon, Portugal.
His opportunity came at regular Europa League qualifiers G.D Estoril Praia, and then with his current club showing real confidence by giving him a deal until 2027, his pride is immeasurable.
“I appreciated the confidence Wolves gave me, really grateful. From now on I need to keep working hard to give back the confidence they’ve given me,” said Toti.
Born in Portuguese-speaking Guinea-Bissau but moving to Portugal at a young age meant that opportunities to thrive in a sporting background became easier to pursue.
His passion for rugby was apparent and found a club side, Escolinha de Rugby de Galiza, east of Cascais and just 20 minutes from where he eventually flourished in a football setting at Estoril.
His physical attributes were also a distinctive strength, and he pinpointed his speed as a key transferrable skill to football but nailing down his position wasn’t quite so simple.
“I always watched football, I always wanted to play, my idols were Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
“When I start playing football, I was not a defender, I was a winger and a striker.
“But with the passing of the years, I came down and found my true position,” added Toti.
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22-year-old teammate Chiquinho, who is currently recovering from a pre-season knee injury, also found his way at Estoril, a breeding ground for young Portuguese talent just outside the capital.
Having a Portuguese core has certainly helped Toti settle, and a continuation of playing under a Portuguese boss, at Estoril, Grasshoppers in Switzerland, and now Bruno Lage, has made for a free-flowing football pathway.
Toti continued: “We have known each other since school times, under-19s in Portugal and first-team in Estoril.
“They integrated me very well, Ruben (Neves) never played on my debut, but he messaged me after the game congratulating me.
“(It’s) helped me a lot, anything I needed they were already here. The communication is easier, for me, the group is really together.”
The boss has had a key impact on his progress and Toti hailed his impact when he was thrust into the limelight back in January due to a string of absentees.
“I was not waiting to play, and he’s a really calm coach.
“He said, ‘do what you do on the training pitch,’ that’s one of the reasons I was not nervous on my debut,” claimed Toti.
With a desire to succeed, and a willingness to learn, Toti makes it clear that he sees those currently occupying the central defender spots as tutors, rather than the competition at this stage.
Despite only making five appearances in the second half of the campaign, the confidence in Toti to step up when required is a luxury some clubs don’t have.
There’s no doubt there’s more to come from the 23-year-old, the future is bright, and Toti will be the first to thank Wolves for such faith and an opportunity only a fraction gets to experience.
“I’m learning and improving every day with the ball.
“I’m trying to learn more from (Willy) Boly, even on the training pitch so I can do the same when it’s my time.”
By Josh Evans
