Benfica + Dallas = Match Made in Heaven
FC Dallas kicked off their preseason conference with a blockbuster announcement, a talent development partnership with SL Benfica.
With preseason rapidly coming to an end, FC Dallas hosted their official preseason press conference with FC Dallas President Dan Hunt, Technical Director Andre Zanotta, Head Coach Nico Estevez, and, surprise guest, SL Benfica CEO Bernard Carvalho.
At the top of the agenda, Hunt proudly announced a new “talent development partnership” with the Portuguese giants, citing their strong academy and history of developing some of the top players in the world.
“This is a big moment for FC Dallas,” Hunt said with excitement, still bearing a glow from the Kansas City Chiefs SuperBowl win. “We have a generation of great players coming through FC Dallas, but I think this will raise the level not just for FC Dallas but for the US youth program.”
This agreement is different from what FC Dallas had negotiated with Bayern Munich in the past which saw some shared training experiences and the eventual transfer of Chris Richards.
“Very thankful for the relationship with Bayern. Maybe our DNA is a little bit different - so much more similar to Benfica. I feel like this is much more of a two-way relationship,” Hunt told media.
Carvalho agreed. “Yes. In the beginning, it wasn’t thought about that. We didn’t think about selling Musa to FC Dallas. He wanted to go. We see that the environment is changing, and MLS is gaining momentum and importance among players. That sets the trend - definitely, there will be two ways.”
The CEO indicated that as Benfica identifies talent, not all players will make the way to the first team, opening the pathway for youngsters from Africa, the Middle East, and Asia to potentially land in Frisco.
The glowing words and energy from the press conference indicated that both sides are on board with this decision and are already working to deepen their relationship. One of Benfica’s staff is already in Dallas. The two teams will share youth development strategies and scouting data in anticipation of the continued growth of the game in North America ahead of the World Cup in 2026.
Outside of this announcement, FC Dallas continued to affirm that Jesus Ferreira and Petar Musa are on track to play together, despite interest in Jesus from other countries.
Three players are away on VISA-related issues, two of which appear to be green cards in process, including Maarten Paes and Tsiki Ntsabeleng.
Nico indicated his impatience in getting everyone healthy and in one place to start putting the building pieces in place for a big season. Petar Musa is waiting for his VISA process to continue so he can arrive stateside and get settled. Paxton Pomykal and Jesus Ferreira continue to recover from injuries.
If you want one word though, it’s optimism. Everyone is excited about this group of players and what is possible as the season gets underway.
What are your thoughts about the partnership with Benfica for FC Dallas?