After debut at Alvalade, Sporting player tells all: It still hasn’t sunk in | OneFootball

February 15, 2026, will forever be etched in the memory of Rafael Nel who, at 20 years old, fulfilled his dream of making his debut at Alvalade for Sporting’s team, in the victory against Famalicão (1-0), which counted for the 22nd round of Liga Portugal Betclic.

"It didn’t even hit me while I was at the stadium. I was very happy because it was a very special week. It was a really cool few days for me and my family because, before my debut, I had been named man of the match in P. Ferreira - Sporting B (0-3), and my niece was also born. The debut was the cherry on top," confessed the forward on the program ‘Lado B’, broadcast on Sporting TV.

On the show, which also featured defender Rodrigo Dias, the two youngsters agreed that it’s easier to play in the 2nd League than in Liga 3. "It’s a competition where the visibility is greater and it allows us to develop more. It’s still a battle with the center-backs, but the pitches are better and allow us to play better football," the young striker also noted.

After starting his training at Benfica, the number 90 was released and ended up joining Belenenses, where he stood out and was recruited by Sporting in the 2020/21 season. "It did me good to go through that phase when things didn’t go so well, it was a very important experience," acknowledged the young forward.

This season, Rafael Nel - valued at 1.5 million euros - has been one of the main highlights of the reserve team. With 1,276 minutes played in 20 official matches, the striker has scored seven goals and provided four assists.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.