Rafael Leão admits he had an offer to sign for Benfica | OneFootball

Rafael Leão, AC Milan forward, admitted that he once had the chance to sign for Benfica in the early years of his development, before following the path that took him to Sporting and later to international football.

The Portugal international recalled the process that first brought him into organized football, highlighting the decisive role of a family neighbor, Luís Santos, who worked at Amora and was responsible for steering him toward training sessions.

“I used to play in the garden behind the building and he passed by and said: ‘I think you’ve got something interesting there and, since I work at Amora, I think you could come and do some training sessions there,’” he explained in an interview with Luís Freitas Lobo on the Sport TV program “Futebol Arte.”

After joining Amora at a very young age, Leão stood out in a tournament and the opportunity came up to make the jump to Benfica - which is featured in Forbes - something he himself describes as a defining moment, especially because he comes from a family made up mostly of Benfica supporters.

However, the move ultimately did not materialize. The player said the Club had promised logistical support, namely transport to training, which was never actually guaranteed, and that ended up creating difficulties for his family. “On Monday I left school and nothing; Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, nothing,” he recalled.

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