In April, Porto became the first Portuguese team to win the Youth League. The 'dragons', which would also raise the Portuguese U19 League, had in their starting team, both in the final (3-1 against Chelsea) and in the semifinals (0-3 against Hoffenheim), two players born in 2002: Tomás Esteves and Fábio Silva were decisive for the conquest of a tournament in which soccer players of the year 1999 could play. Tomás Esteves, a right back born on April 3, 2002, is a phenomenon of precocity. Last season, in which he started with 16 years of age, he made 34 games with the sub 19 of Porto. He was a fixture in the League (28 games) and won a place in the Youth League from the round of 16. In the final four games of the tournament, he started all.
The quality evidenced by Tomás Esteves in the quarry of Porto, in which he entered with 9 years, led him to deserve a chance in the first team in the preseason. At 17, Sérgio Conceiçao wanted to see him training every day. And what Tomás taught in friendlies against Fulham, Betis or Getafe convinced the coach to keep the side under his watchful eye this course, in which the player will train with the first team waiting for an opportunity.
Comments