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9 May 2018
Focus on… Rafael Leão, one of the hottest prospects in the Portuguese football
The Toulon Tournament is fast approaching. To wait patiently until the beginning of the 46th edition of the competition (from 26th May to 9th June), let’s take a look at the players who could shine during the Maurice Revello Tournament 2018. Today, we talk about Rafael Leão, the Sporting Lisbon hot prospect.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Figo, Nani, Joao Moutinho…and soon Rafael Leão ? Over the last years, the Sporting Lisbon academy has produced a number of top-flight talents. At only 18, the young forward is maybe the next gem to emerge from the Portuguese club.
Rafael Leão boasts huge physical abilities : quick and powerful, he is as well composed on the ball. As many skills that seduced the Sporting Lisbon first-team head coach Jorge Jesus. While he’s still playing with the reserve team, Rafael Leão made his professional debut on February against Feirense during a Ligs NOS game. Then, the forward earned some playing time against Moreirense and the Kazakh side Astana in an Europa League game.
Before enjoying one of the biggest moments of his career : 2nd March, he came off the bench after 44 minutes against the rival FC Porto and netted the equalizer two minutes later on his first ball !
Even if Sporting lost the game (1-2), the Almada-born revealed announced himself to the observers thanks to his goal. However, the youngster is aware that he has a lot of to prove. “There are a lot of cases where things have not gone well for other youngsters, and I do not want to become another statistic. Just because I've already played in the first team does not mean that I know everything”, he said to Goal.
The Euro U17 winner and Euro U19 runner-up thinks that there is still a long way to come. “I know that I have a lot to learn and that my attitude and commitment are fundamental to me achieving my dreams. I'm still young and I am not in a hurry to do so. I am in the right place, I take my work seriously and the coach Jorge Jesus and the whole structure of Sporting give me support. My more experienced colleagues also give me a lot of advice, which I try to follow, as do my parents, brothers and cousins”, he added.
Rafael Leão, who scored five goals in six Youth League games this season, wants to follow the path of the most famous Portuguese footballer : Cristiano Ronaldo. “I think the best in the world is Cristiano Ronaldo, who has made a successful career with a lot of hard work and, like me, came through the Sporting academy and is a great example to follow”, he told to Goal.
By playing the Toulon Tournament this summer, Leão would follow the example of the fifth-time Ballon d’Or Cristiano Ronaldo who won the competition in 2003…
Mathieu Lauricella
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