Geovany Quenda, Chelsea’s newest addition, aims to follow in Cristiano Ronaldo’s footsteps, leaving Sporting’s academy for the challenge and exposure of the Premier League.
Quenda, who is sometimes compared stylistically to Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka, began his career with an anecdote that has since become part of his own history.
When he arrived at an early training session at grassroots club Damaiense dressed in trousers and sneakers, he was initially informed he could not participate.
However, after demonstrating an effortless first touch and dribble when the ball came his way, coach Ana Correia persuaded club officials to “make an exception” for Quenda, as she subsequently remembered in an interview with Sabado.
Quenda’s road to the top was anything but conventional. Born in Guinea-Bissau, he came to Portugal at the age of seven and had to swiftly adjust to his new surroundings.
He progressed from Damaiense’s under-10s to Benfica’s academy before joining city rivals Sporting, where he rose to fame in Portuguese football.
The Portugal Under-21 international, who supposedly agreed to join Chelsea in March 2025 but only recently signed a deal until 2034, now has a chance to display his talent on a larger platform.
When Quenda joined Chelsea, he was accompanied by his father, mother, sisters, friends, agents, and godfather Basaula Lemba, a former top-flight Portuguese footballer with 10 caps for Zaire.
Lemba played a key role in Quenda’s early growth before joining Benfica’s academy system in 2017.
According to former youth coach Fabio Roque, both Sporting and Porto were interested in him at the time.
“We saw him as an under-10 player playing against us for Benfica,” Roque told BBC Sport.
“We knew he was a good talent since our scouting staff had watched his progress on the Portuguese Football Federation’s website.
“He was fantastic and unique. His discipline was not always strong, and he was still inexperienced, but his attitude was good. He was demanding of himself, confident, unpredictable, daring, and had a strong bond with the ball.
There was a “non-aggression pact” between Portugal’s three major clubs, Benfica, Sporting, and Porto, but after Quenda scored against Sporting in a crucial match for Benfica, he made what Roque saw as a “natural” move to Sporting.
After switching academies in 2019, the suffering began to reverse. “I remember one match against Benfica – a very important game,” Roque remarked. We’d just suffered a crushing defeat, and our captain was injured.
“The emotions were intense. A player was sent off 15 minutes into the match. We had to adapt, but Geovany and the rest of the team kept competing, held on at 0-0, and showed their mentality. “Then I remember walking towards the dressing room at half-time, Geovany put his hand on my shoulder and said: ‘It’s OK, we’re going to win.’”
“That moment instilled in us all confidence. And we won. The ball broke from a corner to Geovany, who gently deposited it in the net.
“It was a moment of individuality and conviction. It revealed who Geovany truly is. At that point, I thought, ‘This person is exceptional.’”
Quenda eventually advanced to the under-23s under Tiago Teixeira.
“Everyone spoke about him. “Everyone said he was one of the best players in the academy,” Teixeira told BBC Sport.
“We wanted him to develop gradually, although he could have made his debut earlier.
“I recall one training session where we practised set pieces and free kicks. We joked that he couldn’t score from free-kicks. “Then he scored four or five in a row, smiled, and said: ‘OK, finished for me.’”
Although Quenda joins the ranks of famous Sporting wingers like Ronaldo, Luis Figo, and Nani, his former coach says he is most like Arsenal and England striker Bukayo Saka.
“It’s his explosiveness, ability to play inside, protect the ball, unpredictability, and creativity,” Roque added. “Defensively, Geovany may be stronger than Saka at this stage.” Bukayo is, of course, already performing well in a highly competitive league. But his running, crossing, and last pass make me think of Saka.
Roque remarked, “He’s one of the most impressive players I’ve ever seen.” Among players born in 2007, he is one of the finest in the world, with Lamine Yamal and Estevao. My expectations are big, but I am aware that it will be a long career.
By the age of 16, Quenda was working with Ruben Amorim’s first-team group before the coach left Sporting for Manchester United, and he was quickly breaking records.
The first came 24 minutes into his debut against Porto, when he became the Portuguese Super Cup’s youngest goal scorer.
He later became Sporting’s youngest player to start and score in the Champions League, breaking Ronaldo’s record for the youngest goalscorer in Liga Portugal, and establishing himself as a first-team regular at the age of 17.
“Saka is more direct and faster,” Teixeira explained. “However, I believe Quenda performs better indoors. It is apparent that he is a once-in-a-decade talent for the institution.”