Ex-Benfica academy chief: Anísio had a striker’s instinct | OneFootball

Anísio Cabral had a dream night by scoring 62 seconds after making his debut for Benfica's first team against E. Amadora (4-0), a moment that is the culmination of a journey of overcoming in Benfica's youth system. Rodrigo Magalhães, one of the key figures in the club's youth development over the last two decades, is not surprised by the level the young player has reached.

"It doesn't surprise me at all. From an early age, Anísio was considered a player of high potential. He was a kid who had a lot of street football, had an above-average technical execution level, especially with his left foot, and also stood out for his motor skills. He had a great affinity for scoring, a characteristic of great forwards. He scored goals with ease both near the goal and from mid-range. He had a feline instinct, of street football", he said in an interview with the newspaper Record.

The professional, who now works at Neom in Saudi Arabia, got to know the young athlete when he was just 8 years old. "He was detected by Benfica's scouting department. I believe he came for an integrated training session and was then signed. He joined the club in 2016/17, at the age of a 'traquina', and immediately joined the 'benjamins' level. Yesterday, he ended up joining the first team, scoring after an assist from a teammate of the same age. It's a great joy. But I emphasize that he ended up completing all the stages of Benfica's training, which is not very common".

"Anísio is a very humble kid, with a very solid family base. Anísio's family is his mother and brother, the brother often taking on a paternal role in Anísio's life. A balanced family that went through some difficulties but always kept their feet on the ground, always allowing his development to flow naturally. I believe that the conditions are in place for him to maintain levels of humility and continue his work, and he will certainly stabilize at a high level," highlighted Rodrigo Magalhães, not foreseeing any dazzlement from the young striker.

Anísio Cabral, besides his debut for the A team, has played 10 games for the under-19s this season, scoring four goals, plus three matches for the under-23s and two in the Youth League. In the U-17 World Cup, the striker, who arrived at Seixal in 2016/17, was one of the highlights of the competition with seven goals.

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