The Portuguese central defense Tomás Araújo spoke in an interview with UEFA, where he ended up talking about the course from the time he arrived in Benfica's formation to the three names he would talk to if he had the opportunity... and surprised.
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23/10/2026
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Tomás Araújo granted this Friday an extensive interview to the UEFA media where he spoke about his journey in Benfica, from training to the current season.
“ Wanting to play Benfica, you have to realize that the fans are always at their most, always want the team to move forward, play forward, always want to see a very overwhelming Benfica. I think that especially this time we are doing a very good job, we have many conditions to have a very good time ", started by explaining.
The Portuguese international central defense was at the beginning of the eagle-to-chest career, recalling the moment I learned that Benfica was interested in his hiring.
“ When I heard Benfica was interested, I said yes and asked when the contract would be signed. It was a very natural thing. The Benfica for me and for all the Portuguese, honestly, is the largest in Portugal, and the best in my opinion, of course. It was an easy answer to give”, he recalled.
Still, he admits that the conquest of the UEFA Youth League was one of the most striking moments of his career, especially in the formation of the incarnates.
“Erging the Youth League, for the story that Benfica had in the competition, was three finals to lose, and winning the way it was, the way we played, was a very special moment. Only when time passes do we know what it was done ", said.
The new era in Benfica with Marco Silva turned out to be also a topic of conversation with Tomás Araújo, who revealed that the team is more “confident”.
“The team is very confident. The mystery man came in, gave us his idea, and I think everybody believes in the idea of the mystery man, and you can see it in the field. We have worked hard, we know we have a very great quality, with several players being able to fight for the initial eleven. I think you enter the field knowing that you have that peer pressure behind you and you always have to give it your best shot, otherwise in the next game you may not play ", admitted.
“ When you're in a club like this, you always have to be at your best, giving the 100 percent and you know that at least your colleague is there to fight for his place. The people have felt very comfortable in the field, always knowing that there is that little pressure because it has to always give the 100 percent and that it has to always be at its best, otherwise in the next game no longer plays ", it has.
But it was on the question of an exchange of possible ideas with three people that Tomás Araújo surprised more, when he ended up going to his football idol, but the two choices that followed were ‘out of the box’.
“ Who were you talking to? It could be one of my football idols, Mats Hummels. Then it's hard. Probably Elon Musk, to learn a little bit about business and how you do things. And then it could be (Nayib) Bukele, president of El Salvador, could be, to learn a little bit as well. I think there were three good people,” he concluded.