The Dragons who conquered the world | OneFootball

Martim Chelmik, Yoan Pereira, Bernardo Lima, Mateus Mide, and Duarte Cunha elevated Portugal to unprecedented heights. The five Dragons were crucial in the impeccable journey of the national team in the Under-17 World Cup, which culminated in the unprecedented trophy win after a 1-0 victory against Austria in the final.

Under the leadership of Bino Maçães, a former midfielder who won three championships (1992/93, 1995/96, and 1996/97) and the 1996 Super Cup with FC Porto before returning to the club as a coach in 2013 to guide the Under-15 and Under-17 teams, the Porto squad contributed directly to eight of the 23 goals scored by the new World Champions in the tournament.

Mateus Mide, a forward for FC Porto B who only turned 17 in May, participated in all the national team's matches on the way to the final, scoring four goals and providing two assists in the eight games played by the team. Receiving the award from Xavi, he follows in the footsteps of names like Gabriel Veron (2019), Phil Foden (2017), Toni Kroos (2007), Anderson (2005), or Cesc Fàbregas (2003).

Martim Chelmik

Born in Invicta, the center-back moved from SC Porto to FC Porto in 2018 to join the Under-11s and, in 2024/25, was one of the defensive pillars of the blue and white juniors. At just 16 years old, he played 28 matches in the top tier of youth football and, after signing his first professional contract, continued his international career with Portugal's Under-15, Under-16, Under-17, and Under-18 teams, winning the European Championship in June. Starting a new season and already 17 years old, he established himself in the juniors – 11 games and one assist – and became a key player for the national team to reach the world summit.

Present in full in six of the eight matches of the Portuguese Lions in Qatar, he played a decisive role in ensuring Portugal conceded only four goals in the tournament – three of them in the two games where he didn't complete the 90 minutes. Besides his defensive contribution and clean sheets, he converted one of the penalties against Brazil that secured a place in the final.

Yoan Pereira

Born in Luxembourg, the left winger joined FC Porto in 2022 from SC Alba and, in 2024/25, was an option in 31 youth games. He responded with five goals and three assists, signed his first professional contract, and gained space in the national team, establishing himself as the top-scoring substitute in the European qualification phase they eventually won.

After 11 appearances for the juniors this season – with two goals and one assist – he was a used substitute in six of the eight matches on the way to the title and scored twice: in the 5-0 victory over Mexico and in the penalties against Brazil.

Bernardo Lima

The midfielder who moved from Sanjoanense to the Invicta emblem in 2016 quickly rose through the youth ranks and, after 30 matches for the juniors with youth status, eight goals scored, and one assist, signed a professional contract and debuted for the B team still in 2024/25. In Mafra, in the 25th round of the Second League, he came on in the 85th minute to replace Trafim Melnichenka and made his senior debut. The first phase of the season brought more minutes as a professional – 79 spread over three games – in addition to an impressive record of six goals and two assists in just six junior matches.

Integrated among the captains of the Under-17 World Champions, Bernardo Lima participated in all the tournament games, was a full participant in half of them, and stood out for his aggressiveness and physical presence in the Portuguese midfield. He was the player with the most fouls committed in the World Cup (16) and eighth in interceptions (9).

Mateus Mide

A product of Dragon Force, the forward has been wearing FC Porto's colors since the age of nine and quickly progressed through the youth ranks. At just 16 years old, he started the season in the Under-19s, was the player with the most assists in the Northern Zone (5) – second nationally – and scored nine goals, all in 31 of the 32 games played by Sérgio Ferreira's team in 2024/25. Signing the professional contract in December represented the continuation of "a dream." In 2025/26, he joined the B team's pre-season and again showed maturity, scoring five goals and providing five assists in 12 junior matches before heading to Qatar.

Wearing the number 10 jersey, he was Portugal's main offensive reference in the World Cup. He assisted and scored in just six minutes in the debut, scored twice against Morocco in the second match, assisted again against Mexico, opened the scoring against Switzerland, and combined with Duarte Cunha for the only goal in the final, which brought two trophies: the World Cup and the Best Player of the tournament. The latter, delivered by Xavi, placed him on an exclusive list, although his talent had already caught attention in the football scene.

Duarte Cunha

Born in Vila Nova de Cerveira, in the district of Viana do Castelo, the winger started his career at the local club and, after two seasons with a total of 54 goals in 46 games, began representing FC Porto. The successful path started in the Under-10s led him to climb the ranks to the youth team in 2023/24. At 15, he debuted for the Under-17s and, last season, recorded an impressive 16 goals and 21 assists in 34 matches. These performances earned him a professional contract, the renewal of his bond with the club he has been with since the age of nine, and promotion to the juniors, where he already has three goals and five assists in ten games.

In Qatar, he started in six of Portugal's eight matches, mainly on the right side of the attack, stood out in crosses (28), and was decisive in the final: at 32 minutes, he worked to free himself from the opposition in his preferred area, combined with Mateus Mide, broke free near the end line, and assisted Anísio Cabral for the goal that sealed the gold victory.

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