Interviewed by Sportitalia, Tiago Fernandes, former coach of Rafael Leao at Sporting Lisbon, spoke about the Milan forward:
"When I worked with him, I focused on his intensity on the field, especially on defensive transitions, where he sometimes didn’t return with the right timing or commitment. But his quality and power were the same. Unique qualities in the world. Incredible speed and acceleration."
What is Rafael Leao's worth?
"His true worth? Simply put, he’s among the top 5 players in the world right now," said the player's former coach Tiago Fernandes. "He needs to feel the right feelings and atmosphere in his environment, at Milan and San Siro. If he feels the coach’s trust and has the crowd on his side, he could prove himself even better than Vinicius and Mbappé, maybe this year or next."
On the criticism towards the Portuguese left-winger:
"People criticize him because they don’t see how he trains, what he does during the week with his teammates. Rafael is truly a great professional. Occasionally, he might not perform at 100%, but that doesn’t change his value."
Can Rafael Leao win the Ballon d'Or?
"Absolutely. He has everything to compete with the best players for the Ballon d'Or in the coming years. He has no limits and can decide any game if he has the right confidence," concluded the former coach of the left-winger.
