Miguel Figueiredo, a 17-year-old midfielder who has been playing for the B team, U23s, and U19s, has been called up for the first time by José Mourinho for Benfica’s visit to Arouca.
José Mourinho may be close to giving another young player from Benfica’s youth academy a chance in the first team. The Eagles’ coach made a surprise inclusion in the squad list for the visit to Arouca, in the 26th round of the Primeira Liga, by taking young Miguel Figueiredo, who has been shining in the B team, according to the sports press.
At just 17 years old, and part of the national under-17 team that won the world championship, the player from Aveiro is following in the footsteps of his teammates Daniel Banjaqui, José Neto, and Anísio Cabral, who have already made their debuts under Mourinho in the first team.
Miguel Figueiredo is a midfielder who can be used as a number 6 or an 8, although he can also adapt to central defense.
This season, the youngster has been a regular in the B team, where he is earning the full confidence of Nélson Veríssimo, but he is also playing for the under-19 team in the UEFA Youth League and for the under-23 team in the Liga Revelação.
In total, Miguel Figueiredo has played 24 games so far and has scored three times: once for the B team against Penafiel, and twice in the Youth League against Qarabag and AZ Alkmaar.
Also noteworthy is the presence of the young Eagles player at the World Cup in Doha, Qatar, where he played in three games and scored one goal.
It should also be mentioned that Miguel Figueiredo arrived at Benfica in 2020 at just 12 years old, after starting his training at Casa do Benfica in Estarreja.
Absence of a duo could mean a debut
Miguel Figueiredo’s call-up for this game is no accident. José Mourinho had to look at other options after Enzo Barrenechea got injured, complicating the midfield, which also could no longer count on Fredrik Aursnes, who was dealing with physical problems.
Therefore, few options remain for Mourinho, since Leandro Barreiro may still be limited, preventing the Luxembourg international from returning to the starting lineup.
The remaining names are Manu Silva and Richard Ríos.
