Renato Sanches

At 26 years old, Renato Sanches has this physical status:

Club career

Sanches made his professional debut in the 2014-2015 season, while the B-team was in the second division. He made his first appearance in the competition on October 5th, 2014, beginning and playing in the first half of the 2–2 away draw against Feirense. In the second half of the season, he was sent back as a starter over 3–2 home win over Porto B on January 11, 2015, and as a starter in a 1–1 draw at Santa Clara on March 7th.

Sanches was promoted to the first team after one year with the reserve team in 2015–16, but mainly for the training sessions. He continued to play in the reserves and scored his first goal in Varzim's 2–1 loss, opening the scoring within two minutes. In a 3–2 loss at Desportivo das Aves, he scored two penalty kicks seventeen days later. He scored in an away 11–1 group stage victory over Galatasaray on October 21 in the UEFA Youth League's UEFA Youth League. Sanches made his debut for the first team on Monday, overtaking striker Jonas in the 74th minute of a 4–0 victory over Tondela.

Sanches has signed a new deal with Benfica until 2021, with a release clause set at €45 million following the international break in November 2015. He made his first appearance in the starting lineup on Saturday, playing 90 minutes in a 2–2 away draw with Astana in the UEFA Champions League group stage. Sanches got off to a Primeira Liga win over Braga on Monday, this time with the media lauding his efforts. Aged 18, he scored his first goal for Benfica on December 4th, defeating Académica's goalkeeper Tristan with a 30-meter goal and sealing the 3–0 league victory. In doing so, he became Benfica's youngest player to score a home goal in the 21st century at the Estádio da Luz. It was chosen as the Month of the Month.

Sanches scored a second goal on January 2nd, but the match was only at Vitória de Guimares in the league. He was a victim of bigotry by several Rio Ave supporters who made monkey noises when he was leaving the field after a 1–0 away victory on April 24. He responded with a smile and waved his arms, mimicking a monkey. Sanches was sent off for a second yellow card in the first half of a 2–0 victory at Martimo on May 8th, missing Benfica's last league match in which they retained their title at the expense of city rivals Sporting CP with victory over Nacional. Benfica won the league cup 6–2 over Martimo in his last match, the 2016 Taça da Liga Final in Coimbra, on May 20th.

Sanches signed a five-year deal with German club Bayern Munich starting from 1 July, totaling €80 million, with the additional €45 million contingent on objectives. With this transfer, he became the most expensive Portuguese player to leave the domestic league, as well as the first Portuguese player to join the Bavarian team. After those for Javi Martez, Mario Götze, and Arturo Vidal, the initial fee was the fourth-highest paid in Bayern Munich's history. Sanches had been followed closely by Manchester United before joining Bayern, and Portugal's former player Nani expressed regret for not concluding a transfer.

Sanches made his debut on September 9th after recovering from a thigh injury, winning by 2–0 over Schalke 04 in lieu of Arturo Vidal. Despite making mistakes in his 71 minutes before being replaced by Joshua Kimmich, the captain and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer conveyed confidence, with the former saying, "He's a really good player otherwise he wouldn't be here." He is a European champion and will unquestionably be a valuable asset to us in the future. He became the first Portuguese player to win the Golden Boy award for the best European player under the age of 21, ahead of Manchester United's Marcus Rashford.

Although Bayern won the Bundesliga, Sanches played only 25 games in all competitions and didn't score a single goal or assist. He appeared in just four league games and didn't play the entirety of only one. Sanches had to compete with more experienced players such as Arturo Vidal, Thiago, and Xabi Alonso for playing time. Carlo Ancelotti, Bayern's boss, did not know that they are not relying on young players, so it did not help Sanches. "He has had trouble with the language and found it difficult to integrate with the team," Sky Deutschland reporter Torben Hoffman said. "As well as other places at Bayern, there is a lot of competition for positions." Lothar Matthäus, a former Bayern player, was named one of the season's worst players, while Sanches himself said he was dissatisfied with his results; however, manager Carlo Ancelotti confirmed that he will stay at the Allianz Arena for the following season.

Sanches signed Swansea City, a Premier League club, on a one-year loan that runs until June 30th, 2018. In order to compete in a competitive league consistently, Sanches was loaned to Swansea. In a 0–1 loss to Newcastle United, he made his debut ten days later at the Liberty Stadium. Due to several passing mistakes, BBC Sport reporter Dafydd Pritchard called it a "mixed start." In a 1–0 loss to Chelsea on November 29th, manager Paul Clement replaced Sanches at halftime, thinking it to be a teammate.

In two straight FA Cup matches, Sanches suffered hamstring injuries, and new boss Carlos Carvalhal allowed him to return home because the warmer weather could help with his recovery. After January 2, 2018, Sanches did not play a competitive match until the end of the season. "Renato knows he has had a rough season," Carvalhal said at the end of the season. He is not at the level he was expected when he was injured in January, and it did not end him. Renato is a natural performer, but he has a lot to learn. He stopped learning when he left Benfica and joined one of the world's biggest clubs.

Sanches' return to Bayern Munich on July 1st. "I'll try to make him feel better here," Bayern chief Niko Kova said at the start of pre-season training. It's much more enjoyable to be a good sport when someone feels well. He has abilities that you don't get every day in the Bundesliga; that's why FC Bayern signed him." Sanches scored his first goal for the club since May 2017, winning by 2–0 Champions League group Benfica on September 19th. His return to form was aided by being named Bayern's Best Player of September. Sanches was dismissed by RB Leipzig on 19 December 19, 2018. Sanches scored his first Bundesliga goal on May 18th, playing as a replacement for Leon Goretzka in a 5–0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt to seal the championship; Bayern finished two points above Dortmund with 78 points. Bayern beat RB Leipzig 3–0 in the 2019 DFB-Pokal Final a week later. Sanches claimed his first DFB-Pokal as a week later. Sanches did not appear in the match.

In a 2–2 draw against Hertha Berlin on August 16, Sanches acted as a late substitute for Thomas Müller. Sanches made it clear that he wanted to leave the team to play more often after the game. Sanches also missed a post-game preparation and went home, resulting in him being fined €10,000. Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said in Sanches' remarks, "it's not appropriate" when one runs off in rage right after the first or second game. He'd do well to keep calm. He'll have his chance," says the comedian.

Sanches joined Lille on a four-year contract for a reported €20 million, becoming Lille's most expensive signing ever. He made his Reims debut on September 1st, losing 2–0 at Reims. Christophe Galtier, Lille's first manager, used Sanches in a variety of capacities prior to playing a match against Dijon, who was limited to substitute appearances. In a 2–0 win over Montpellier on December 13, he scored his first goal for the club.

Sanches sustained a hamstring injury in November, which kept him sidelined for five weeks. He earned a starting spot in the midfield after recovering from his injury, leading the team in a 1–0 victory over Nîmes. Sanches' Player of the Month award in December and January was based on Jonathan Bamba's outstanding results in the midfield alongside Jonathan Ikoné and Jonathan Ikoné. He later played in 30 appearances, scoring 4 goals, helping Lille win their fourth place finish, but not before due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sanches began a partnership in the midfield with Benjamin André in a double pivot during his second season with the club. On the other hand, he sustained another hamstring injury in November, causing him to leave the team to Boubakary Soumaré. Nonetheless, Sanches remained a key player for Lille, making 29 appearances and assisting Jonathan David in a 2–1 away victory over Angers in a Ligue 1 victory in 2020–21, bringing an end to Lille's 10-year league drought.

Sanches was sidelined with a hamstring injury that necessitated surgery and missed seven weeks of the season at the start of the season in August. Barcelona negotiated for the transfer of Sanches in August, but his illness culminated in the transfer falling apart at the final stages. Jonathan Ikoné was back in the 94th minute in a 2–0 victory over Marseille on October 3rd, and he scored in the 94th minute. Sanches defeated Rennes 2–1 on December 1st, his first goal of the season.

Sanches signed for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on a permanent basis until June 2027. Lille's transfer fee was €10 million, with a potential of €3 million in bonuses. He came on as a substitute in a 5–2 home league victory over Montpellier on September 13, making his PSG debut on August 13th. After being on the field for his fifth game, he scored his team's fifth goal moments.

International career

All youth categories were included in Sanches' 40 caps for Portugal. He represented Portugal in the 2014 European Under-17 Championship, aiding them in their qualification to the semi-finals, where they lost to eventual winners, England. He was selected to participate in the Tournament's team.

Fernando Sanches, a senior squad's manager, called Sanches up to play friendlies against Bulgaria and Belgium on March 18, 2016. In the 0–1 loss to Bulgaria in a 76th minute, he made his Portuguese debut as a 76th-minute replacement for William Carvalho, and just after being welcomed by a fan who invaded the pitch, he was welcomed by a fan who invaded the pitch.

Sanches was selected for UEFA Euro 2016, making him the youngest Portuguese to be selected for an international tournament, breaking a record held by Cristiano Ronaldo for 12 years. Sanches made his competitive debut in the team's opening match against Iceland in Saint-Étienne, replacing Joo Moutinho for the final 19 minutes of a 1-1 draw. In a 1–0 extra-time victory over Croatia in the round of 16, he was named man of the match. "If he's on the ball, you don't know how old he is," former Portuguese international António Sousa said. "He is more than able" physically and mentally, while Fernando Sanches is praised as a player not afraid of pressure.

Sanches defeated Poland's record as the youngest Portuguese to get off in a major tournament five days later. Sanches shot from outside the box and equalized in the first half to become the youngest player to score in a knockout match in a UEFA European Championship and the third youngest overall. He scored Portugal's second attempt in their penalty shootout win and was named man of the match after the 1–1 draw. Sanches' stamina, courage, and eagerness to learn from his elders were lauded after the match. Sanches received the Young Player of the Tournament Award for his efforts during his nation's 1–0 extra-time victory over France in the final of the tournament.

Sanches and striker Eder were both notable Euro 2016 winners for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia, but Sanches did not qualify for the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championships instead. He was also ruled out of the 35-man preliminary squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Sanches was called up to the friendly match against Croatia and the UEFA Nations League match against Italy in September. In the 86th minute against Croatia for his first international cap in nearly 18 months, he appeared as a replacement.

Sanches was selected in Portugal's final squad for the postponed UEFA Euro 2020 tournament. Sanches made his first appearance in Euro 2020 on June 1521, replacing William Carvalho in the 81st minute, creating Portugal's first goal in a 3–0 victory over Budapest. Sanches emerged as one of Portugal's most important players in the tournament's final group stage match after bad results of teammates Danilo Pereira and William Carvalho in a 4–2 loss to Germany, with coach Fernando Santos giving him a chance in Portugal's last two games. Portugal was eliminated on Sunday after another outstanding showing against Belgium in the round of 16, despite Sanches' 1–0 loss in the tournament's second round.

Career statistics

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