Wenderson Galeno has recently become a household name following his stellar performances in the Champions League for Porto, and ironically although his name means physician or “one who heals”, Galeno has been a weapon of destruction against opposing defenses in Europe this season. The 26-year-old Brazilian winger looks primed to be yet another great asset coming from the Portuguese northern coast.

Player Profile

Born and raised in northeastern Brazil, Galeno made the move to Porto in 2016 as an 18-year-old and initially joined their B team. He arrived in Europe as a very raw talent, physically and especially tactically, a fish out of water who gave off the impression that he was a limited attacker. This perception led to a number of loan spells, with him ultimately being sold off to league rivals Braga in 2019. This time, though, he finally had a platform that elevated his characteristics.

Galeno’s time at Braga saw him gain more maturity in executing his actions out wide exemplified in his ability in 1v1s without relying too much on his pace. His body orientation/shape when carrying angled more towards dribbling on the outside (verticality bias), hence his primary responsibility was to provide width and stretch opposition defensive lines, and this also explains why he wasn't a prolific scorer then and now.