Rodrigo Rêgo debuts, joins Benfica’s select core group | OneFootball

Rodrigo Rêgo was the big surprise in the match against Atlético in the Portuguese Cup. After gaining his first minutes with the main squad of Benfica, the number 67 is the latest name to appear on a prestigious list endorsed by José Mourinho.

According to the newspaper Record, the young footballer of the eagles - who reacted to his debut - appears on a list of young prospects who deserved the opportunity to shine under the guidance of the Special One. Besides the young Portuguese, the Setúbal native has overseen the debut of names that have left a mark on world football.

Before taking the reins at Benfica, José Mourinho had experiences with other renowned clubs, such as Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Roma, or Tottenham. Preceding Rodrigo Rêgo was precisely Troy Parrott, a name that was on everyone's lips for leading Ireland to the playoff for the 2026 World Cup qualification. The striker received several opportunities from the Special One when they were both at Spurs.

At Real Madrid, José Mourinho 'mentored' two generations of talents at the merengues. The first, when he managed the Spanish giant, the Portuguese introduced Álvaro Morata. On the other hand, the new promise of the blancos, Dean Huijsen, is a sure bet by Xabi Alonso, after having shone under the guidance of the Portuguese coach during his time at Roma.

Among a list with so many names currently shining in the main European leagues, certainly, the crown jewel of José Mourinho will surely be the irreverent Italian forward, Mario Balotelli. The former number 45 of the nerazzurri was a recurring choice in 2008/09 when the Portuguese managed Inter Milan.

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