Surprisingly not in Portugal‘s starting XI for their opening World Cup game, a 3-2 win against Ghana, it only took forward Rafael Leao three minutes after coming off the substitutes’ bench to come up with the kind of defining action he’s done time and again for AC Milan over recent seasons.
With Portugal 2-1 up and Ghana pushing forward in search of the equaliser, the 23-year-old popped up on the left wing to slot home a Bruno Fernandes pass in the 80th minute — neatly struck between defenders into the far corner with his right foot after he had opened up his body.
Yet as the cameo against Ghana marked only his 12th senior cap for Portugal, as well as his first goal for his country, Leao’s growing reputation has largely been built at club level. Always regarded as an extraordinary talent, he was considered one of the top prospects in the youth ranks at Sporting CP, which is some acclaim for such a prestigious academy system that has produced the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Nani and Ricardo Quaresma.
Leao then joined AC Milan in 2019 for €35m and it was under coach Stefano Pioli’s guidance that he added the tactical discipline, maturity and overall consistency to make the step up from an occasional impact player to a fully fledged Serie A star.
Though signed as a centre-forward, Pioli took a slightly different view on the attacker — whose technical profile makes him an option all across the frontline — by shifting him onto the left side. With his startling pace, ability to leave defenders for dead with a sudden burst of speed, and sharp dribbling skills, Leao was given a chance to thrive in wide areas rather than in the crowded middle where his undeveloped hold-up play would be exposed.
