"Rafael is a special player for me. He always will be. I've coached him since he was 12, practically everywhere in Sporting's youth teams. Only Cristiano Ronaldo, in Lisbon, had that talent at that age. He is, without a doubt, the best player I've ever had. His performance as a striker is nothing new; Rafael is a No. 9. He's almost always played there. Ever since I was a kid, he reminded me of Ronaldo the Phenomenon: his speed, his technique, his finishing touches."
"Leao can play anywhere, in the best clubs in the world. He's worthy of any team. It's very exciting to see him shine at San Siro; it's a reward for the many hours of work spent together on the pitch. We've been very important to each other, and today I'm really happy that he's a key player at a great club like AC Milan. Allegri's Milan is perfect for him to bring out all his qualities. I'm convinced he'll score a lot this year and be happy."
Rafael Leao has evolved into a high-impact forward at AC Milan, producing one of the best goal-to-minute ratios in Italy after a central positional change. The shift to a central role under Massimiliano Allegri has increased Leao's productivity and allowed his physical attributes and finishing to have greater effect. Tiago Fernandes coached Leao from age 12 at Sporting and considers him exceptionally talented, comparable to Cristiano Ronaldo in youth potential. Fernandes emphasizes that Leao often played as a No. 9, can perform for any top club, and that dedicated training and Sporting roots underpinned his rise at San Siro.
Read at SempreMilan
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