What Drogba’s journey could teach Anísio Cabral at Benfica | OneFootball

José Mourinho has likened Anísio Cabral to Didier Drogba after a win over Alverca, suggesting there are elements the youngster can absorb as he settles at Benfica.

In a 2020 interview with The Athletic, Drogba described how demanding his early months in England were, adjusting to a more physical league and to contact that drew fewer fouls. He spoke of a cultural shock in the Premier League, where going to ground after contact did not always bring a whistle.

Mourinho’s comparison centres on work with his back to goal. He highlighted Cabral’s physicality, hold-up play and runs in behind, drawing parallels with the Drogba he first coached in London in 2004. The key difference he noted was aerial efficiency, with Drogba routinely turning crosses into goals.

Drogba has said his first exchange with Mourinho at Chelsea was important. Addressed in French, he was told the demands would be high and that to become a top player he would need to grow at a big club under Mourinho’s guidance.

For Cabral, still at the outset of his senior career, the Drogba reference is not about status. It serves as an example of a possible pathway for a developing striker learning to play for the team, and one whose attributes have already caught the Special One’s eye.

Source: Glorioso 1904