Although Melo no longer plays the game, his passion for it remains undiminished. He gushes about his son's talents, and serves customers in a World Cup shirt. He even attended a few matches of the 1994 tournament at Foxboro Stadium.

In recent years Melo has rooted for the American team, as Portugal has failed to qualify, but he recalls the greatness of the 1966 Portuguese national team as if it were yesterday.

"I can still hear the goals," he says.

While they were dating, Melo's wife would come to watch his soccer matches. They were married in 1975, and have one son and one daughter.

All four family members work at Pizzeria As-Ilhas, but no one puts in more time than Melo himself.

For Melo, it is a labor of love. Although Pizzeria As-Ilhas has only been open for a month, Melo says he has always had a flair for cooking.

"I made pizzas for the kids. I never bought pizza, and then [I started on] calzones," he says.

The death of Melo's father six years ago inspired him to follow his dream of opening his own restaurant. Many of the decorations in the pizzeria were made by his father.