An AC Milan winger has revealed how his dream club made him cry and left him crying for days before the player decided to join another club after he fell apart. He has now become a pivotal player for the Serie A side.
AC Milan star reveals failed dream club move before he decided to join rivals
Rafael Leao has disclosed his dream club heartbreak when he had agreed to join Benfica academy before the Portuguese was left waiting for a van which never arrived. The failed promise left him heartbroken and compelled him to join their Lisbon rivals. The 26-year-old recalled how a broken promise changed everything.
During his appearance on the SayLessGlobal Podcast, Leao said that Benfica wanted to sign him, and his father agreed since he was a fan of that club too. He stated:
“I signed for Benfica, but since my dad didn't have a car at the time, I couldn't get to training. Benfica said, 'Don't worry, sign the contract and we'll have a van to take your son from school to training.”
Leao further continued on the aforementioned podcast:
"I waited for the van. The van never arrived. The second and third days were the same. A week went by and I started crying. I didn't even get to do a training session. That's when we decided to sign for Sporting."
Leao began his football career at Sporting CP before he moved to Lille OSC. The Serie A winger gained a lot of recognition for his speed and skills following his move to the French club. The player has now become an integral part of AC Milan since his joining in 2019.
Leao might have gone through a tough childhood but that set him on the path where he became a player like he is today. Meanwhile, the former Sporting Club player also revealed that his father informed Rui Costa, the current president of Benfica, about the failed signing situation while they met a few months ago. They first laughed at the situation, as per the AC Milan winger, and later, Costa apologised for the incident.