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Rafael Leão 

Position: Winger 

Age: 23 (Born June 10, 1999) 

Shirt number: 17 

Country: Portugal (9 caps since 2021) 

At AC Milan since: 2019 

He might be only 23, Rafael Leão has become one of the young leaders that AC Milan has relied on, in which he played consistent minutes since he came to the San Siro in 2019. 

Already a veteran of the Portugal youth set-up, he won the UEFA U17 Euros in 2016 alongside Diogo Dalot and Gedson Fernandes. In 2021 he made his full debut where he has yet to find the net in nine matches. 

Leão began his career with Sporting Lisbon, but moved to Lille in 2018 after only five matches as well as having to leave as a fall out of their training ground incident. He played a season in Ligue 1 before moving to Milan in 2019 on a five-year deal worth €23 million. 

He had an instant impact up front for Giampaolo, and then Pioli, appearing in 31 league matches and scoring six times there as the Rossoneri finished in sixth and secured Europa League qualification. The following season saw him play 40 matches in all competitions, with Milan finished runners-up to Inter and picked up a return stint in the Champions League for the first time since 2014. 

The 2021-22 season was a breakout for the Almada native. Not only did he become the club’s joint leading goal scorer alongside Olivier Giroud, Leão won the league’s most valuable player after ending the eleven-year drought to win their 19^th scudetto.