Official! Rui Costa extends Benfica centre-back's deal: a proud moment | OneFootball

Benfica have made official another important step in the development of one of their biggest academy prospects. Tomás Pedrosa, a 16-year-old centre-back, has signed a professional contract with the Lisbon club, in a moment that marks the beginning of a new phase in his still short career. The youngster, who has been capped 22 times by Portugal’s youth national teams (five for the Under-15s and 17 for the Under-16s), did not hide his emotion after putting pen to paper on the new deal.

"It’s an indescribable feeling to sign with my club, with which I’ve had a connection for quite a few years now. It’s a source of pride, the result of my work, and this is only the beginning," he said in comments to BTV, making clear the significance of the moment.

At just 16 years old, Tomás Pedrosa has already spent eight seasons at Benfica, the club he joined from AA Santarém. Throughout his journey at Seixal, he has won important youth titles, including the National U15 Championship in 2024/25 and the National U17 Second Division Championship in the 2025/26 season.

The defender particularly highlights the progress he feels he has made at the club, both technically and mentally. "I’ve grown in terms of mentality, maturity, Benfica’s style of play, and the identity we must have as Benfica players. Technically, I’ve also improved, and I hope to continue like this," he said.

Despite the added responsibility that comes with signing a professional contract - the same deal signed by Tomás Cordeiro - the young player says he is ready for the challenge. "I’m keeping my feet on the ground, and I believe everything will go well," he said, before pointing without hesitation to the great goal of his career: "My dream is to make my debut for Benfica’s first team", he concluded.

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