The Rise of Rafael Leão: The Rossoneri Star
Most recently, you saw this Portuguese youngster in the world cup, scoring against Ghana with a beam on his face.
Those who were watching were taken aback. Which player scores a decisive goal that can decide whether his country qualifies for the next stage with no trepidation or nervousness etched upon their face… rather a smile?
That’s Rafael Leão for you.
A 6 foot 2 winger wreaking havoc in the Serie A, he is one of the most talented youngsters out there, unsurprisingly making him a big target for Arsenal, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City, and several other clubs. Despite his big frame, an uncanny sight in a winger, it doesn’t appear to stop him, with Leão defeating defenders in every direction using rapid footwork, stepovers, or body feints. He completed the most dribbles in Serie A (186) and ranked 3rd amongst all European players.
His ball control is of exceptional grade, and his excellent speed, incredible body strength, athleticism, and coordination allow for quick turns, rendering him nearly impossible to knock off balance. His off-the-ball running is done with conviction to take advantage of space behind the defense.
His team coach Tiago Fernandes at his former club, Sporting, had this to say about him.
“He is the best player in the history of the academy. Better than Paulo Futre. Better than Luis Figo. And, yes, even better than Cristiano Ronaldo at the same age.”
Alongside his innate attributes, he has proven his ability to step up in the big moments. “In the 55th minute against Atalanta at a near sold-out San Siro in a match Milan simply had to win, Leão latched on to Junior Messias’ through ball down the center of the pitch, outpaced Teun Koopmeiners, raced into the box and slotted the ball through the legs of Juan Musso to give Milan the lead.”
The game after against a Fiorentina side that had put 4 past them in their previous face-off, Leão was able to capitalize on their unforced errors, giving Milan a lead over Inter in the Scudetto race.
In the final game against Sassuolo, Milan were struggling to find the lead until Leão cut in from the right and maintained his composure to give the Rossoneri the lead at 56 minutes. As a result, Milan defeated Sassuolo 3–0 to clinch the championship, and Leão finished off his stellar campaign with three assists in 36 devastating first-half minutes.
His consistent performances throughout the entire season earned him the Serie A Player of the Year award and a spot in the Serie A Top XI. This was the breaking point of his career when football fans all over the world heard of Leão and put him with the likes of existing talents like Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham. However, what is unknown is that he didn’t immediately leap on the big stage with impressive showings. He had to fight through the ranks to make it as a regular starter.
Upon joining, management changed from head coach Marco Giampaolo leaving after seven horrendous games, to Stefano Pioli. The preceding bad form created overwhelming pressure from fans on Leão, eventually leading to inconsistent performances from the nervous 21-year-old winger. The abuse and irritation piled up, and Leao was soon to be offered to other clubs when Pioli and the Milan board put his faith in Leão in a “do or die” situation. They needed results from him, and they needed them quickly. All can be seen from then on with Leão transforming into the goal-scoring machine he is now.
Rampaging past defenders down the flanks. Ripping the net with fiery shot power. And most importantly, stepping up for Milan when he’s needed. This 23-year-old Portuguese winger is wreaking havoc in all stages, and I can’t wait to see which team he batters next.
He’s said to be the next Thierry Henry.
I think not.
He’s the next Rafael Leão.
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