Paulo Lopes backs Mourinho's Benfica gem to reach the top | OneFootball

The debut in the first team, so desired by any young academy player, as is the case with Gonçalo Moreira, has not happened yet. However, the upward path continues to be followed, and the recent Benfica B victory over Farense is proof of that.

Paulo Lopesknew what he was doing when he placed his faith in Gonçalo Moreira in the Club of Light’s under-23 team, when he was 17 years old.

"For me, the decision was easy. As a coach, I made the decision. I had seen the under-17 matches and I knew him. It was a very easy, simple and clear decision. He had everything I needed — the way he played, intensity in training and matches, technical quality, intelligence, energy. All of that makes everyone follow him," he began by saying, in an interview with the newspaper 'A Bola'.

According to Paulo Lopes, the young attacking midfielder is certainly not lacking in qualities, even on a personal level. "He is an emotionally stable, respectful, well-mannered, hardworking kid. He has a contagious joy for playing. He is not someone who gets carried away with himself. He has all the conditions to reach the highest level. I only have good things to say about Gonçalo."

In conclusion, the former goalkeeper admits that Gonçalo Moreira "handled" the step up to the under-23s well, even at just 17 years old. "He is a kid with maturity. He felt that he was evolving. And it was not easy, we had a very young team and we were already playing against grown men. But he was focused and got what he deserved."

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