João Veloso
Full name: João Miguel Fins Veloso
Country: Portugal
Date of birth: 26/06/2005 (17 years old)
Place of birth: Albufeira (Portugal)
Height: 186cm
Youth career: CB Loulé, CB Albufeira, SL Benfica (since 2017)
Current club: SL Benfica
Squad number: —
Current national team: Portugal U-18
Position: defensive midfielder, central midfielder, attacking midfielder
Preferred foot: right
Market value (by transfermarkt.de): —
Tournaments participated in: 2022 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualification elite round (3/1), 2022 UEFA European Under-17 Championship (5/3), UEFA Youth League 2022/2023 (1/0)
Contract until: unknown
Player’s agent: unknown
Transfer rumours: —
Similar type of player: André Gomes/Dani Parejo
Strengths:
– passing 
– vision
– technique
– ball control
– creativity
– football IQ
– first touch 
– long shots
– athleticism
To improve:
– quality and frequency of using his left weaker foot
– tall but doesn’t have the aerial prowess
– explosivity/he’s not the fastest player
Style of play:
– playmaker
– player with a good body mass ratio and physical strength for his age who feels quite comfortable in contact situations
– tactically astute and technically capable of playing in various tactical systems
– likes to have the ball at his feet and has the natural ability of an ‘orchestrator’ midfielder who can perform at all of the midfield positions
– midfielder who sees the game differently from most revealing creativity, cleverness at his off-the-ball movements, great vision, and passing ability orchestrating or providing dynamism to the team’s build-up process with ease and effectiveness
– likes to employ tricks and impressive skills to pass or stay in possession of the ball
– very intelligent movement and positioning between the lines
– highly technical, creative, and very elegant on the ball
– excellent in combination play
– cultured passer with a proclivity for breaking the lines with intricate vertical balls
– extraordinary thinking when on the ball – he often chooses options that are unexpected for the opposition
– very high football IQ, maturity, and spatial awareness
– has the ability, outstanding vision, and confidence to provide good through/killer passes in the final third
– great composure and retention skills under pressure/press-resistant player
– very interesting mid-range and long-range shooting skills
– displays a natural technique to dribble and take fast decisions in tight spaces
– excellent footwork for a player of his size
– extremely difficult to knock off the ball thanks to his strength and excellent close control
– good decision-making for a player of his age
– does not hesitate to track back and work for the team/good recovery of his position and decent tackling skills
– competent direct and indirect set-piece taker
Veloso loses his marker with a quick feint and provides an assist with a very good pass.
Veloso with a good pressing, he outmuscles his opponent, makes a quick decision, and scores with a powerful finish.
Heatmap by Wyscout:
He is best suited to playing as:
Central midfielder in 4-3-3.
Video:
Achievements:
—
League summary (as for 14 October 2022):
No senior team appearances yet.
Description:
João Veloso joined Seixal, the famous Benfica youth academy, from CB Albufeira in 2017. He is a part of a new wave of highly talented Benfica teenagers which includes, among others Cher Ndour, Diego Moreira, Franculino Djú, João Resende, João Neves, Hugo Félix, António Silva, Martim Neto, Pedro Santos, Luís Semedo, Nuno Félix, and André Gomes. João is also a regular international for Portugal – in 2022, he represented his country and was one of the leaders of the team that reached the semi-final of the UEFA European Under-17 Championship.
Quotes:
“He is a complete midfielder for his age, with superb physical strength and, above all, very intelligent tactically. He has the ability to drive his team forward, often starting attacking moves, but also appearing around the penalty area to finish them off. He was one of the stars of the recent Under-17 Euros, scoring three goals in five games as Portugal reached the semi-finals.”
(The Guardian)
Football Talent Scout potential rating:
8,5/10 
First team material in a top European league.
Links: