Sporting’s ‘bet’ on fertile youth system pays off as title beckons

LISBON: Sporting Lisbon are finally poised to turn their productive youth system into trophies as a team filled with youngsters stand one match from ending the club’s 19-year wait for a league title.

The club developed Luis Figo and, more recently, almost half of the Euro 2016-winning team including Cristiano Ronaldo, Joao Moutinho, Nani and Ricardo Quaresma but they have not won a Portuguese league title since the 20012002 season.

Since then, Sporting’s Lisbon rivals Benfica and Porto have split the title between them.

That drought could end on Monday if secondplaced Porto fail to win at home to second-botom Farense, or on Tuesday if Sporting win at home against struggling Boavista.

With three games let, Sporting lead by eight points and are unbeaten in the league this season. They are winning with kids.

Just three years ago, Sporting went though the worst crisis in their 100-year history. In May 2018, ater the club finished third in the Portuguese league fans invaded and ransacked its training centre and assaulted players and staff.

The incident led to the departure of coach Jorge Jesus, several senior members of the squad and club president Bruno de Carvalho, whose confrontational relationship with players led to accusations that he had inflamed fans’ anger.

Last year, Frederico Varandas, who replaced de Carvalho as president, decided to “change the paradigm” and put youth at the heart of the club’s strategy. While the club still has a core of experienced veterans, this season has seen the rise of young home-grown players under coach Ruben Amorim, himself only 36 years old.

In defence, 18-year-old Nuno Mendes, who is being courted by Manchester City and Juventus, and Goncalo Inacio, 19, have established themselves.

In midfield, Daniel Braganca (21) and Matheus Nunes (22) have been regulars. In atack, Jovane Cabral (22) and Tiago Tomas (18) have scored important goals.

Youth “is our bet”, Amorim said at the end of March, ater the debut of midfielder Dario Essugo, who at 16 years and six days became the youngest player to appear in the Portuguese top flight.

“Dario has a lot of talent, he is part of our project, no mater what age, it’s a message to all the kids who are undecided between several clubs, let them know that here the door is open,” the coach stressed.