Quintet Made In Seixal signs contract until 2021

Five footballers with Benfica's DNA and Made In Seixal signed professional contracts with the Club until 2021. They are: Luís Lopes (U-19) and Henrique Pereira, Filipe Cruz, Paulo Bernardo and Rafael Rodrigues (U-17).

Also known as Duk – a nickname he inherited from his father –, Luís Lopes, aged 18, is at Benfica for two seasons, coming from Belenenses.

The forward was born on February 16th, 2000, he is in his first year as a U-19, but that has not been stopping him from standing out. He played 19 of the 20 matches from the 1st stage of the championship, all as a starter and he was the Eagles' top scorer with 16 goals.

YOUNG TALENTS FOR THE FUTURE

In a clear bet in the talent developed at Caixa Futebol Campus, Benfica also signed a contract with Henrique Pereira, Filipe Cruz, Paulo Bernardo and Rafael Rodrigues, four footballers of the U-17 team, but who already carry the Mystic of the Club from an early age.

The four compete for the Eagles for eight seasons in all the categories, of which Filipe Cruz and Rafael Rodrigues are products of the project "Centros de Formação e Treino"[Training Centers] (CFT), were they played in the first four seasons; Henrique Pereira and Paulo Bernardo come from the Soccer Schools of Estádio da Luz.

Henrique Pereira plays as a left-winger, he has seven caps for Portugal Youth National Teams (five in the U-15 and two in the U-16) and in the District Championships, he scored nine goals in 14 matches.

Filipe Cruz recently turned 16, he can play as a defender or a winger on the right side, he has three caps for Portugal U-16 National team and this season, in the District Championships, he has already scored eight goals in 12 matches.

Paulo Bernardo is a midfielder, he has already represented Portugal in 10 occasions (five in the U-15 and in the U-16) and he has been in red-hot goalscoring form in the District Championships, with 13 goals in 17 matches.

Just like Henrique Pereira, Rafael Rodrigues also can play in the two positions on the right flank and has three caps for Portugal U-16 National team. However, the numbers in the District Championships are different: he has scored one goal in 13 matches.