Villas-Boas to keep another Dragão gem, Duarte Cunha to renew | OneFootball

There are stories that begin at the beginning and promise never to end. Duarte Cunha’s with FC Porto is one of them. The winger, born in Vila Nova de Cerveira, arrived at Olival at just 9 years old, grew up in blue and white, and now, after a year marked by historic titles with the national team, is about to take another step in that bond: renewing his contract with the club that developed him.

According to Portal dos Dragões, Duarte Cunha’s future at the Dragão is only a matter of time. The renewal is expected to be announced very soon, in a clear sign of the trust that André Villas-Boas places in the club’s homegrown gems.

Few players experienced such a glorious 2025. In June, Duarte Cunha was crowned European Under-17 champion with the Portuguese national team in Albania, where Portugal defeated France 3-0 in the final — with the Porto winger scoring the second goal of the match in a move of outstanding collective quality. UEFA took notice: the forward was named to the Team of the Tournament, with UEFA’s technical panel describing him as a “quick and direct attacker who constantly caused problems for opponents in 1v1 situations and transition moments.”

But the best was yet to come. In November, Portugal made history by winning the Under-17 World Cup for the first time, beating Austria 1-0 in a final in which Duarte Cunha was named man of the match. In the move that led to the only goal, it was he who, from the right, set up Anísio Cabral for the strike that secured the title. It was a high-level final in which the Porto player shone beyond all doubt.

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