Three-time champion Eduardo Quaresma at last unleashing his full potential | OneFootball

Sporting Clube de Portugal have won back-to-back championships for the first time in 71 years, after defeating Vitória Sport Clube by two goals at the Estádio José Alvalade on the final matchday.

Two weeks prior, Sporting were minutes away from dropping behind into second place.

Then Eduardo Quaresma stepped up and put the Lions right back into pole position with an excellent finish against Gil Vicente, sending the Sportinguistas in the stands into rapture.

At 23 years of age, the latest PortuGOAL Figure of the Week is maturing into the complete package. Kevin Fernandes reports.

Once, twice, three times a champion

Quaresma in one of the hard core of the squad that has been present throughout all three of Sporting’s league title conquests in the last five years, coupling youthful irreverence with on-ball elegance and off-ball ruthlessness.

Against Vitória, the likes of Pedro Gonçalves (Pote) and Viktor Gyökeres stole the show, but Edu was fundamental in securing the defence and progressing play once again:

From Fabril do Barreiro to the Alcochete talent factory

At just nine years old, Quaresma traded Setúbal staple GD Fabril for the even greener pastures of Sporting. His pilgrimage through one of Europe’s most respected and prevalent youth academies was filled with hype and expectation. Originally a midfielder, his technical prowess and keen sense of anticipation soon saw him deployed as a commanding central defender with elite characteristics.

In a role historically recognised for brute and rugged approaches, Quaresma’s grace stood out combining the elegant composure of the technically refined 8s, despite maintaining resilient and persistent when dominating in defensive duels.

2019/20 brought his breakthrough. Eligible for the U17s, Quaresma cemented himself as a starter for the U23 team and when the pandemic paused football globally, many careers were halted. Quaresma’s was only beginning, and upon resumption, the recently appointed Ruben Amorim handed him his debut in an initial period of experimentation and promotion of youth. His debut coming against none other than Vitória Sport Clube.

Explosive start followed by tough learning curve

He became the youngest defender in Sporting’s history to debut in the starting line-up, marking the occasion with his flair, capacity to charge forward, and consistently excelling in wide defending duties as the right sided defender in the Amorim five-man defence.

The ascent, however, was turbulent. After suffering the effects of the pandemic personally, Quaresma lost his place to the experienced Zouhair Feddal and Luís Neto, while fellow academy graduate Gonçalo Inácio showed higher levels of consistency and maturity. Two trophies were won as an emergency option.

Two loans spells followed, first to Tondela, where the bitter hardship of relegation placed large responsibilities on the shoulders of Eduardo, and then Hoffenheim, which would shape Quaresma, transitioning from boy to man in a foreign land with only a few minutes to prove his worth in a physical league.

The belief, long-term, never wavered.

In the hours leading up to another historical and fundamental clash with Futebol Clube do Porto in December 2023, Sebastian Coates was ruled out. Eduardo Quaresma, after months on the sidelines, was called up and given his chance.

Back with a bang

He made the most of it in an impressive victory.

Since then, he has never looked back, showing maturity, intensity and focus like never before, playing 60 matches in two league winning campaigns, only sporadically affected by niggling injuries.

Few figures are as universally appreciated as Quaresma, who has captivated millions. Throughout his journey to the upper echelons of Portuguese football, Eduardo has always been seen as a unique character.

From the tears when directly contributing to goals.

Few players make us feel the same as Eduardo Quaresma does.

One of the most underrated U23 wide defenders

Quaresma’s arsenal is vast. Surprisingly dominant in the air for his lean build and innocent appearance, surgical, decisive and forceful in the tackle, and imposing in anticipation.

Quaresma has an ability to wrap his long legs around opponents to cut out danger, waiting until the decisive millisecond before intervening. It also helps propel him for charging runs, transporting the ball forward with grace and great confidence, often demonstrating technical refinement in slaloming past unsuspecting defenders.

While explosive and able to maintain his graceful galloping runs, Quaresma struggles to maintain these levels for 90 minutes, often suffering from smaller, conditioning injuries, often replaced by teammates for the closing stages of matches. To take the next step, Quaresma will have to build physical resistance, as well as becoming more decisive in the final third, as the profile is excellent for a hybrid right-sided defensive role.

Captaining Portugal’s U17s despite concerns surrounding his personality in his formative years in senior football demonstrates that he is a leader by archetype and play-style, sniffing out danger before it develops, with the ability to start attacks after ending them. Edu can overlap, is comfortable with aggressive positioning to trap opposition blocks, and can play every pass requested of the modern ball-playing defender.

It was only a matter of time before he cemented his place in this Sporting side.

It is only a matter of time before he receives his first caps at senior level after accumulating over 47 caps at youth level.

It was only a matter of time before he became PortuGOAL Figure of the Week, as one of few players in recent history with the privilege of saying that they have won three league titles at Sporting.