Under-20 star skips holiday to boost Vasco squad | OneFootball

The forward Diego Minete, 16 years old, returned to training with Vasco's professional squad this Wednesday at the Moacyr Barbosa Training Center and remains an option for Fernando Diniz in this season's end. Initially, the young player was supposed to go on vacation with the Under-20 team, but the coaching staff decided to keep him integrated with the main group.

Minete had already been listed for the first time in the match against Bahia in a previous game, but he did not get to play. Even so, his presence on the roster marked an important step in his transition to the professional level.

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Photo: Reproduction//Vasco TV.

If given the opportunity to debut, the forward could become the second youngest player to play for Vasco in the 21st century, at 16 years, 7 months, and 28 days. The record belongs to Rayan, who played for the first time at 16 years, 5 months, and 16 days, in the 2023 Carioca. Minete would surpass Andrey Santos, who debuted at 16 years, 10 months, and 3 days.

Considered one of the greatest recent talents from Vasco's youth academy, Minete was a key player in winning the Under-17 Brazil Cup, finishing the competition as the top scorer. This season, he has scored 15 goals in 38 matches and was called up to the Brazilian Under-17 team in preparation for the 2026 South American Championship. In 2024, he scored over 40 goals, with 35 for the Under-15 team, was named the best player of the Nike Premier Cup, and also won and was the top scorer of the Rio Cup, with 16 goals.

The striker has also caught the attention of the Italian Football Federation. With an Italian passport from his paternal family, Minete is being observed by the FIGC as a potential name for future youth team call-ups.

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Photo: Reproduction/Vasco.

The young player's stay in the professional team indicates that Fernando Diniz intends to keep a close eye on the forward. The expectation now is to see when the youth academy's top scorer will get his first minutes wearing the main team's jersey.

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