João Neves (footballer)

João Pedro Gonçalves Neves (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʒoˈɐ̃w̃ˈnɛves]; born 27 September 2004), is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Primeira Liga club Benfica and the Portugal national team.

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Gonçalves and the second or paternal family name is Neves.
João Neves
Neves with Benfica in 2023
Personal information
Full name João Pedro Gonçalves Neves[1]
Date of birth (2004-09-27) 27 September 2004
Place of birth Tavira, Portugal[1]
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Benfica
Number 87
Youth career
Casa Benfica Tavira
Benfica Algarve
2016–2022 Benfica
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022 Benfica B 11 (0)
2022– Benfica 25 (1)
International career‡
2019 Portugal U15 4 (0)
2021–2023 Portugal U19 17 (3)
2023 Portugal U21 6 (1)
2023– Portugal 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 01:08, 8 October 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21:36, 16 October 2023 (UTC)

Coming through Benfica's youth system, Neves impressed during his time with the reserve side, winning the UEFA Youth League in 2021–22, being instrumental part of Benfica's first European trophy in 60 years. He was promoted to the first-team shortly after, making his professional debut at age 18, where he helped Benfica win the league title in his first season with them.

Neves is a former Portugal youth international, representing his country at various levels. He made his senior international debut in 2023, at 19 years old.

Club career

Early career

Born in Tavira, Neves began his youth career with hometown club Casa Benfica Tavira, one of Benfica's feeder club for four seasons, where his father worked as a coach, before moving to his boyhood club Benfica's youth academy in 2012.[3] Neves signed his first professional contract with Benfica in December 2020.[4]

Benfica

Neves played a major role in the 2021–22 UEFA Youth League, where Benfica U19 topped their group against Dynamo Kyiv, Barcelona and Bayern Munich.[5][6] In the final, he helped his side defeat Red Bull Salzburg 6–0 to help Benfica win their first Youth League title, and their first title in European football since the 1961–62 European Cup.[7] He made his professional debut with Benfica B in a 1–1 LigaPro draw to Académico de Viseu on 6 August 2022.[3] On 24 August, Neves started in Benfica's 1–0 against Peñarol at the 2022 Under-20 Intercontinental Cup.[8]

Following the departure of Enzo Fernández in January 2023, he began training with the first team, after impressing newly arrived coach Roger Schmidt, making his debut in 3–0 loss to Braga in the Primeira Liga. The following day, Neves made his UEFA Champions League debut, replacing João Mário in the 74th minute and providing an assist on Benfica's fifth goal, in their 5–1 home win against Club Brugge in the second leg of the Champions League round-of-16.[9] In the final months of the season, Neves eventually earned a place in the starting eleven over Florentino Luís, most notably scoring his first goal for the club on 21 May against crosstown rivals Sporting CP in the Derby de Lisboa, securing his side a draw after they were down by two goals at half-time.[10] He would make 20 appearances for Benfica as they sealed their first league title in four years, following a 3–0 home win over Santa Clara, on the final day of the league campaign.[11]

International career

Neves represented Portugal at under-15 and under-19, for a total of 21 caps.[12] In June 2023, Neves took part in the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, scoring his first goal on 27 June in a 2–1 against Belgium.[13] Portugal were eliminated from the tournament, on 2 July, after a 1–0 loss to England in the quarter-finals.[14]

On 6 October 2023, Neves was called up to the senior team for the first time for Euro 2024 qualifiers matches against Slovakia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.[15] He made his senior international debut on 16 October, coming off the bench to replace Otávio in the 85th minute of a 5–0 away victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina.[16]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 24 October 2023[17]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Benfica B 2022–23 Liga Portugal 2 110——— —110
Benfica 2022–23 Primeira Liga 17100003[lower-alpha 1]0 —201
2023–24 Primeira Liga 8 0 1 0 0 0 3[lower-alpha 1] 0 1[lower-alpha 2] 0 13 0
Total 25 1 1 0 0 0 6 0 1 0 33 1
Career total 361100060 1 0441
  1. Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League
  2. Appearance in Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira

International
As of match played 16 October 2023
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Portugal 2023 1 0
Total 1 0

Honours

Benfica Youth

Benfica

Individual

References
  1. João Neves at WorldFootball.net
  2. "João Neves". S.L. Benfica. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  3. "João Neves profile". record.pt (in Portuguese). 28 November 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  4. "João Neves assina contrato profissional" [João Neves signs professional contract]. slbenfica.pt (in Portuguese). 11 December 2020. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  5. "Youth League: Benfica-Bayern". O Jogo (in European Portuguese). 20 October 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  6. "Categórico escreveu-se com golos". SL Benfica (in Portuguese). 20 October 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  7. "Benfica: a história dos 24 jogadores que venceram a Youth League". maisfutebol.iol.pt. Archived from the original on 26 October 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  8. Entrou, marcou, decidiu: Benfica vence Peñarol no mítico Centenário com golo de Luís Semedo e conquista Taça Intercontinental Sub-20
  9. "Gonçalo Ramos faz história na Liga dos Campeões". A Bola. 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  10. "Sporting-Benfica: João Neves arrancou empate ao cair do pano". O Jogo. 21 May 2023. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  11. Kundert, Tom (27 May 2023). "Benfica crowned champions of Portugal". PortuGOAL. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  12. "João Neves". fpf.pt (in Portuguese). Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  13. https://www.uefa.com/under21/match/2036139/
  14. Howell, Alex (2 July 2023). "England U21 1-0 Portugal U21". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  15. "Roberto Martinez convoca para Eslováquia e Bósnia". fpf.pt (in Portuguese). 6 October 2023.
  16. "João Neves é o segundo estreante da "era" Roberto Martínez" [João Neves is the second debutant of the Roberto Martínez "era"] (in European Portuguese). RTP. 16 October 2023. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  17. João Neves at Soccerway
  18. Raio X de Jogador João Neves Benfica zerozero.pt
  19. Conheça os 24 heróis da Youth League (Benfica)
  20. "Sub-20: a Taça Intercontinental é nossa!" (in Portuguese). S.L. Benfica. 21 August 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  21. Kundert, Tom (27 May 2023). "Benfica crowned champions of Portugal". PortuGOAL. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  22. Vaza, Marco (9 August 2023). "Benfica soube mudar para ganhar a Supertaça". Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  23. "João Neves eleito VITO Médio do Mês de setembro da Liga Portugal Betclic" [João Neves elected Liga Portugal Betclic's VITO Midfielder of the Month for September]. Liga Portugal (in European Portuguese). 11 October 2023.
  • Profile at the S.L. Benfica website
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