Mourinho’s protégé shines, becomes Benfica’s top European scorer | OneFootball

Gonçalo Moreira has been the leading figure in Benfica's campaign in the current edition of the UEFA Youth League. The 20-year-old playmaker shone once again in the Eagles' clash against Slavia Prague (3-2) in the round of 32, with a goal and two assists, achieving a remarkable milestone.

The creative midfielder leveled the score at 61 minutes and became the top scorer in the history of the European competition for the team. The young player has scored 12 goals in 16 matches played in the tournament over the last three seasons.

The Portuguese U-20 international didn't score in 2023/24, scored four times in the following season, and has already doubled his goal count in the current edition of the tournament. Heading into the round of 32, Gonçalo Moreira had the same 11 goals as José Gomes and Diogo Gonçalves.

It's worth noting that José Mourinho, in the press conference after the Benfica - Gil Vicente match in September, revealed that he had "a soft spot" for the 20-year-old athlete. "And Gonçalo Moreira didn't come on, for whom I have a soft spot from the little I saw this week," he said at the time.

In the current season, Gonçalo Moreira - valued at 1.2 million euros - has already played a total of 25 official matches: 15 in the Segunda Liga, six in the UEFA Youth League, three in the Premier League International Cup, and one in the Liga Revelação. In the 1,483 minutes he has been on the pitch, the footballer has recorded 14 goals and six assists.

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