French press hails discovery: Mezian Soares in Portugal's under‑21 team

The call-up of 16‑year‑old Mezian Soares to Portugal's U‑21 national team surprised coach Luís Freire and led the French press to claim that Europe discovered him last week. The young midfielder, who plays for RC Lens, became the third youngest player to make the national squad.

Upon being included, Soares entered as the third youngest in the history of Portugal's U‑21 national team, trailing only two predecessors. Freire's decision was announced this Thursday, reinforcing the bet on emerging talents.

Reaction of the French press

The reaction in France was immediate, with the newspaper L’Equipe stating that the player has been breaking records of precocity. The outlet also highlighted the speed with which the Portuguese‑French player has taken the big stages.

At just 16, Soares made his Champions League debut in the victory over Slavia Prague last week, already tallying three appearances across all competitions this season. His involvement at RC Lens has been closely monitored by European observers.

In the previous season, the midfielder scored five seconds after coming on in Ligue 1 against Nantes, securing a 1‑0 goal. That start to his career was recalled by L’Equipe as proof of his ability to impact games quickly.