New Mbappé? Sporting signing starts to turn heads | OneFootball

Catarino Pascoal is still a little-known name to most Sporting fans, but the 18-year-old midfielder arrives in Alcochete with a reputation that goes far beyond his qualities on the pitch. The new addition to Sporting’s B team stands out not only for the talent he showed while playing for Atlético, but also for the way he has always balanced football with his academic path.

The son of an Angolan lawyer and born in Lisbon, the youngster grew up in an environment where studies always played a central role. Speaking to Canal 11, he himself revealed his father’s influence on his upbringing. "I was always a boy who liked studying and I was always influenced by my father, who even makes studies the priority and puts them first. He says education comes first and football comes after. To this day I still study and I’m even at university", he explained.

His move to Sporting comes after a breakthrough season at Atlético. Catarino Pascoal finished 2025/26 with two goals and three assists in 24 matches, numbers that helped catch the attention of Sporting’s decision-makers. The midfielder also stood out for his performances against bigger opponents, including Benfica, in the Portuguese Cup.

Besides his academic profile, the young Portugal under-18 international is also known for his discreet and ambitious personality. A fan of Kylian Mbappé’s attributes, he once admitted that the French international is one of his biggest football references, to the point of copying the goal celebration of the current Real Madrid star.

After spells at Alta de Lisboa, Belenenses, CAC da Pontinha, Sacavenense and Atlético, Catarino Pascoal is now preparing for the biggest challenge of his career. In Alcochete, he will have the chance to continue his development within a professional setup, with the aim of impressing for the B team and, in the medium term, moving closer to the Sporting first-team squad.

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