Communication Department
Striker Eduardo signed his first professional contract with Verdão, this Friday (09), at the Football Academy. Alongside president Leila Pereira and general coordinator of the base João Paulo Sampaio, the 16-year-old striker signed a contract with the Palestine club until December 2029.
It’s a special week for Eduardo. One day before signing his first professional contract, the athlete was the highlight of the 9-0 rout of Batalhão-TO, in Copinha, with four beautiful goals and two assists. The Academy’s Cria celebrated the moment, highlighting the support she receives from the club.
“Very grateful to have signed my first professional contract, to see that Palmeiras is valuing me, that I’m giving results at the base. It was a special moment, even more so with the presence of Leila, our president. I look back and see just a kid who had the dream of being a football player, every effort and training is paying off, I’m being rewarded”, said the striker.
Eduardo arrived at Palmeiras in 2018, still playing futsal. Born in São Paulo, the player recalled his first steps at Palestra: “I started in the floodplain, in schools. Since I was little, I followed my father, who played football. One day, a coach of mine got me a screening at Palmeiras and, after four days, I passed it. Then I came for an evaluation within the club and was approved at the age of nine, playing here to this day.”
When describing his playing style, the Alviverde revelation highlighted that he takes football lightly: “Eduardo is a kid who goes on the field to have fun, who tries to make the fans happy with dribbles, goals. He goes on the field to be happy, without any pressure, it’s an amusement park for me.”
As base coordinator since 2015, João Paulo Sampaio has witnessed the development of countless athletes who have reached the highest level of football. The director, who followed Eduardo’s entire career at Palmeiras, spoke about the player’s next steps.
“You have to keep in mind that you need to kill a lion a day. As we say here, ‘if the flour is low, my mush first’. Now, he starts to become better known, the score will double, everyone will always expect a 10, and he will have to know how to deal with that. He needs to understand that the answer will always be on the field, it’s never what’s off the pitch. We’ll give him the opportunity, but he needs to take advantage of it”, declared the coordinator.
2024 Paulista Under-15 Champion for Palmeiras, Eduardo had a standout season for the Under-17 last year, with 38 matches played and 13 goals scored. In the 2026 Cup, he is the youngest athlete in the group of 30 registered.
After winning their first two games in the Copinha, against Monte Roraima-RR and Batalhão-TO, Verdão plays the last match in the group stage this Sunday (11), against Remo, at 11am (Brasília time), at Arena Crefisa Barueri. Entry is free, with tickets being redeemed via the website I’m from the League.
