Official! Benfica secure new gem for a huge future at the Luz | OneFootball

Benfica has made official the signing of a professional contract by João Silva, a midfielder just 16 years old who continues to take firm steps in his development within the Club. The youngster, who joined the Eagles in 2020/21, has already completed six seasons wearing the Benfica shirt and has been standing out throughout his development path. Currently part of the U17 squad, he has featured in 23 matches in the 2025/26 season, also scoring five goals.

Speaking to BTV, João Silva did not hide his emotion at the moment. "It’s a childhood dream come true. I always had this goal in mind; it is the result of my work. I want to thank everyone who helped me: the coaches, my teammates and also my parents," he said.

The midfielder began his journey at Futebol Clube Roriz, from Barcelos, and at Núcleo SCP de Braga before moving to Benfica’s training centre in the same city, later making the jump to Benfica Campus in 2022, where he has continued to grow.

In addition to his path at the Club, João Silva has already earned four caps for Portugal’s U16 national team, reinforcing his status as a prospect to watch in the coming years. As for the future, the youngster has no doubts about the path ahead. "I hope to get minutes, keep playing well and become champion, with a lot of hard work ahead", he revealed.

It should be remembered that the Eagles, last Thursday, announced an agreement to sign the first professional contract with Martim Gomes, a 16-year-old forward who looks up to Vangelis Pavlidis. "Role model? I like Pavlidis, who plays in my position and also scores a lot of goals", he said.

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