Born to Cape Verdean parents in Lisbon, Renato Sanches began playing football at a very young age. The wonderkid enrolled in Benfica’s youth academy at the age of nine and rose through the ranks until he was of legal age to sign his first professional contract. The ‘Golden Boy’ broke all the records that year, becoming the youngest player to play in the European Cup and the youngest player to score in the twenty-first century. He also contributed significantly to the Lisbon club’s League and Cup double. He earned the title of league’s top young player.