From current Manchester City pair Bernardo Silva and Rúben Dias to João Cancelo and João Félix at Barcelona, Portuguese giants Benfica have produced some of the best footballers presently playing at the upper echelon of European football.
By Nathan Evans
It’s something that the club have been especially known for across their recent history, either by directly producing, or by aiding the growth of some of the best young players they’ve scouted from around the globe, who in turn, have gone on to join some of the biggest clubs on the continent as a result.
At Benfica, that trend looks set to continue over the next few years, at a minimum, with the emergence of players like centre-back Antonio Silva. But perhaps their next biggest star will be midfielder João Neves, who after breaking into the first team squad in late 2022, has now gone on to make over 50 senior appearances for his boyhood club.
Born in the southern coastal town of Tavira, Neves has long been on the books at Benfica, first joining the club at the age of just eight. He’d go on to be promoted through the club’s youth ranks year-on-year before signing his first academy contract in October 2018. Just four years later, he made his full debut for the club, coming off the bench for the final minute of a defeat to Braga in December 2022.
It was the culmination of a 10-year journey through the club’s famous youth network and academy, and ever since, Neves has continued to grow into one of Portugal’s brightest prospects in recent memory.
Normally deployed in a more defensive role in the centre of the park, Neves operates on the left-hand side of a double-pivot midfield for Benfica. He’s mainly tasked with sitting as the anchor in front of the defence in order to let those more attacking players thrive as freely as possible. Still aged just 19, it’s testament to Neves’ intelligence and reliability that he possesses such an integral and important position in his side’s set up, and a glance at his individual output this season highlights just how effective he is.
Amongst players of his age currently plying their trade across Europe’s top ten leagues, there’s few players who hold such a strong reading of the game. Not only is Neves’ anticipation at a level far above many of his peers already, but his know-how of where to be on the pitch at the right time is uncanny for a player only just beginning his career. That goes a long way to explaining why he currently sits within the top 10% of midfielders in the Portuguese top-flight for interceptions (21) and the top 5% for ball recoveries (136) this season.
Elsewhere, from a defensive standpoint, Neves excels as a player who seemingly loves to do ‘the dirty work’ on the pitch, something that many other players struggle with. His 34 successful tackles in the league can only be bettered by one other player at present, whilst his 135 duels won overall rank him fourth in the competition. In fact, of all players in the league this term, Neves is one of only two to record 30+ successful tackles, 125+ duels won, and 125+ ball recoveries alongside Rio Ave’s ever-present Costinha.
His tenacity can also be measured by the fact that he’s won 32 aerial duels in the Portuguese top-flight – at a success rate of 58.2% – which is a pretty staggering figure given that he only stands at 5ft 7in. Simply put, his surprisingly quick pace and all-round physical play, despite his smaller frame, constantly aid him in winning his individual battles in midfield, regardless of whether those come in the air or on the ground.
But Neves’ game is far from one that relies too heavily on his defensive output to measure his importance to the team, as he’s also an exceptional ball-playing midfielder.
Of all Liga Portugal players this campaign, the Benfica youngster ranks second for successful passes made (1120) and third for overall touches of the ball (1608). His wide-ranging scope in terms of passing distribution make him a key asset to his side, with his ability to play passes that break through the opposition’s lines, especially into the final third of the pitch, helping his team to advance up the field frequently. As well as that, the former Portugal under-21 captain also enjoys travelling with the ball at his feet, striding through the opposing midfield when needed, as referenced by his return of 306 ball carries this term – the sixth-most in the division.
Neves has further chipped in with two goals and an assist in the league, with one of those strikes proving to be a huge equaliser in their win over Lisbon rivals, Sporting, in their top-of-the-table clash back in mid-December. That whole performance captured everything that Neves’s current game is all about, showcasing his brilliant defensive contributions, alongside his fantastic ball-playing abilities, and he was named man-of-the-match as a result.
Granted, caution is still advised when assessing Neves’ future in the game, over the next few years in particular, especially as it’s been reported previously that the midfielder is already been courted by some of the biggest sides in the world. To this point, he’s still only made 23 starts in the league for the Águias, and although he’s also enjoyed some crucial playing time in the Champions League this campaign too, his inexperience could still prove to be a huge gamble for the sums of money being mentioned in the press.
That said, wherever João Neves’ future lies in terms of which club he may move to in the future, if he decides to leave Benfica, it does seem extremely likely that he’ll prove to be one of the best defensive midfielders of his generation, if he stays on his current trajectory.
(Images from IMAGO)
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