Rare detail forced Benfica to ask FIFA over Gabriel Índio | OneFootball

Gabriel Índio was the big surprise at the start of Benfica’s preseason training in Seixal. Although he has not yet been officially unveiled by the Eagles, the young Brazilian centre-back has already joined the first sessions of the new season alongside the team led by Marco Silva.

The 17-year-old defender appeared at the Benfica training centre at a time when many fans were only expecting the official presentations of the summer signings. Signed from Athletic-MG, a club that competes in Brazil’s second division, the player is seen as one of the Eagles’ future bets for the heart of the defence.

The young player’s early arrival in Portugal was no coincidence. Benfica launched a specific process with the relevant authorities to speed up the promising centre-back’s move to the country. The Eagles requested special authorization from FIFA to allow Gabriel Índio to join before reaching adulthood. The defender only turns 18 on 26 July, meaning he cannot play in the Europa League matches against St. Gallen.

International rules normally prevent the transfer of underage players between countries, except in very specific cases. As Gabriel Índio’s situation did not fit those usual scenarios, it was necessary to obtain the green light from the bodies involved to make this interim step possible.

After receiving authorization from FIFA and Athletic-MG, Gabriel Índio travelled to Portugal to begin the adaptation process at Benfica. In Seixal, the young Brazilian will now have the chance to get to know the club’s methodology, gradually settle into his new reality, and prepare for the official completion of the transfer next month.

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