João Neves: The Benfica Academy Midfielder PSG Paid €70m for at 19

Neves joined Benfica's academy at 7. His progression was textbook for the Seixal facility — the Lisbon club's globally-recognised youth pipeline that has produced Bernardo Silva, João Félix, Bruno Fernandes, and Rúben Dias. He made his senior debut for Benfica in October 2022 at 18 and quickly became a regular starter under Roger Schmidt the following season.

Across 2023-24 he played 51 matches for Benfica, scored 4 goals and registered 6 assists. The defining trait was tackling intensity at a slight physical disadvantage — at 1.74m and 70kg he isn't built like a traditional defensive midfielder, but his tackling success rate and aerial duels won per 90 placed him among the top 15 Primeira Liga midfielders.

PSG's 2024 summer rebuild needed a long-term replacement for Marco Verratti (sold to Al-Arabi in 2023). Luis Enrique's system — high possession, structured build-up, midfielders who can press and recycle — fitted Neves's Benfica profile exactly. He started 38 of PSG's 48 competitive matches in 2024-25 and finished the season as the only PSG midfielder to play over 3,000 minutes.

Portugal under Roberto Martínez paired him with Bruno Fernandes in central midfield by Euro 2024 (June 2024, days before the PSG move closed), with Vitinha as the third option. The Bruno-Neves partnership combines vision and pressing in a structural match — Bruno breaks lines, Neves wins the ball back. The Portugal midfield going into WC 2026 is likely the same trio with Neves as the youngest and the longest-running selection bet.