Joao Neves: How Portugal’s little prince stole Parisian hearts

“Watch the video without sound, without context, and you will be forgiven for wondering what exactly is going on. It is a television news report from 2019. It shows Portugal’s under-15 squad in training. The session is dynamic and intense. Players shove each other off the ball, crunch into challenges. These are only kids but they exhibit a physicality far beyond their years. All, that is, except one. Darting about in the forest of limbs is a little cotton-tailed rabbit. He looks like he hasn’t even heard of puberty. He’s not wearing the No 10 jersey; it’s wearing him. Look closer, though. He’s running rings around those other boys. The footage cuts away to an interview. It’s him, the mini maestro, Joao Neves, 14 going on eight, hair bobbing up and down, eyes lit up like candles. He looks like a porcelain doll come to life. Then he starts to speak. …”
NY Times/The Athletic