Florentino

2017–2019: Early years

Born in Lobito, Angola, Florentino began playing futsal, at the age of 8 at local club Tercena Futsal, before moving to football, after joining Real Massamá in 2009. The following year, he joined Benfica's youth system. On 11 September 2016, he made his professional debut with the club's reserve team as a substitute in a 2–1 home win over Académico de Viseu in LigaPro. During that season, Florentino played in the 2016–17 UEFA Youth League, in which he was a key part of Benfica reaching the final of the competition, which the club lost to Red Bull Salzburg 2–1 in the final and also won the 2017–18 Campeonato Nacional de Juniores.

Following his promotion to Benfica's first team alongside three other Benfica B players on 1 February 2019, Florentino made his Primeira Liga debut as a 62nd-minute substitute in a 10–0 thrashing of Nacional on 10 February. Four days later, he made his European debut as Benfica beat Galatasaray 2–1 in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League round of 32, their first ever victory in Turkey. Florentino scored his first Primeira Liga goal in a 4–0 away win over Moreirense on 17 March 2019. He helped Benfica win their record 37th league title by making 11 appearances (8 starts), featuring in a 4–1 win over Santa Clara on the final day of the league campaign. Despite being a starter under Bruno Lage, following his sacking, with the appointment of Jorge Jesus, Florentino lost his place in the first team and after failing to impress the new coach in pre-season, he requested his coach to be sent on loan, in order to have more game time.