João Calazans

Anastácio lives in Lisbon and is fanatic for Sporting CP, one of the city's football teams. When the team travels to face Porto, he follows it with the family, staying in house of his friend, Mr. Barata, pretending to be rich.

Manuel da Cruz, a young apprentice in the saddle, is discovered by the cattleman João Gama, who marvels at his skill, deciding to make him a great bullfighter.

In Coimbra, law student José Duarte and the beautiful Maria de Lisboa experience an intense love story, but after finishing his studies and feeling betrayed, José Duarte abandons Maria and goes to Porto, seeking success as a singer of Coimbra fado. But, unknowingly, he leaves her pregnant with a child.