Another batch of talented players took to the field for their opening game against England in the European Under21 Championship finals in the Czech Republic.
The highly-rated Spurs centre-forward Harry Kane spearheaded the England attack but it was the Portuguese who showed more flair and a higher work rate as they ran out 1-0 winners.
Liverpool defender Tiago Llori (on-loan at Bordeaux last season) alongside Sporting’s Paulo Oliveira snuffed out Kane’s firepower up front and in midfield it was Bernardo Silva (on-loan at Monaco from Benfica last season) and William Carvalho (Sporting) who impressed.
Carvalho shows a maturity beyond his years and is currently attracting interest from Barcelona, Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester United.
“My dream is to play in England,” Carvalho told the Record newspaper in January.
As a 13-year-old playing for his local side Mira Sintra he ran rings around the Sporting Lisbon under-16-side.
“He was always a very humble, quiet but mature boy,” former Mira Sintra coach Bruno Rodrigues said in an interview with Maisfutebol.
“In Mira Sintra, he was two years younger than the others but he was made the captain and was a leader in the dressing room, solving problems between the boys from rival neighbourhoods who would often start fights between themselves.”
Benfica offered Carvalho a contract, but his father had always been a Sporting fan.
Their coach Aurelio Pereira, desperate to sign the boy, met Carvalho and his family and asked him who his favourite Sporting player was. He told them it was Nani.
An hour later the winger, who would go on to move to Manchester United for €30m, rang and convinced him to sign for the club. Now Carvalho will command a fee in excess of €40m as he is under contract at Sporting until 2018.
Carvalho has an insatiable appetite for the game and played in the senior team’s 3-2 win against Armenia just two weeks ago. “I’ve played 52 matches this season but it could have been 100 and it would not make any difference,” Carvalho said.
“You can never feel tired when you’re representing your country. I’m here with all my heart and soul.”
A mindset that some of the England under 21 squad might do well to copy.