Rafael Leao might just be Portugal’s best Under-23 player right now, and that’s why AC Milan fans are so excited about their young star.
Leading Serie A in successful dribbles completed with 57 so far with 25 matches completed is a telling stat in his growth.
Compared to last season he only completed 34 dribbles in 500 more minutes of football. Last year, Leao was playing up top as an out-and-out striker but moving out to left wing and attempting more take-on has been key for his success in 2021/22.
Surpassing his goal tally already and his goal contributions across all competitions, Leao has surged into a position where he’s already becoming one of the top attacking players in Serie A.
So where exactly did a talent like this come from and why has he just burst onto the global scene this season?