Who is Kevin Pinto? The youngster Mourinho picked for Benfica v Alverca | OneFootball

Kevin Pinto was the most recent academy player to be included on José Mourinho’s match sheet. The presence of the 19-year-old took everyone by surprise and confirms the Special One’s commitment to giving opportunities to the youngsters from Seixal. Although he did not get any minutes on the pitch, his inclusion on Benfica’s match sheet was quite notable.

According to the newspaper A Bola, in today’s edition, February 9, Kevin Pinto is a right-back who has been a regular presence in Benfica’s under-23 and B teams and, as the same source reports, he was called up at the last minute due to Daniel Banjaqui’s flu symptoms.

Kevin Pinto, just 19 years old, was born in England; however, his entire youth development took place in Portugal. Currently, the defender is entering his fifth season as a Benfica player. However, one detail stands out: before joining the Eagles, he wore Sporting’s shirt.

Nevertheless, it should be noted that Kevin Pinto’s call-up by José Mourinho was no coincidence. The right-back is one of many youngsters who have been on the Special One’s radar and, in recent months, he has been spotted in several training sessions with the first team, working under the watchful eye of the Portuguese coach.

This season, playing for Benfica, Kevin Pinto – valued at 300 thousand euros – has already played a total of 17 official matches: 10 in Liga Portugal Meu Super, four in Liga Revelação, and three in the Premier League International Cup. In the 1,155 minutes he spent on the pitch, the number 79 recorded one goal and one assist.

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