From Sao Jose dos Campos, a city 95km from the state capital Sao Paulo, until arriving at Manchester City at the age of 19, Vitor Reis never showed intimidation in his promising career and always faced the biggest challenges.
But before arriving at the Etihad Stadium or taking the first steps onto Palmeiras' Allianz Parque pitch, it all started at R-10 Soccer, a football school located in Sao Jose dos Campos.
And right from the beginning, Vitinho, as he was known among teachers, already demonstrated that he would have a promising future — while wearing a light blue and white uniform.
"I put him in defence and he already stood out in training. Leadership back there, already seven years old, already speaking, commanding the nine-year-olds, he went out playing with the ball at his feet. He already had a good reading of the game, a good vision of the game," Robson Custodio, owner of R-10 Soccer and one of Vítor Reis's first coaches, told PL Brasil.
"From that day on, he started training with me, I moved him up a category and he started competing in Under-9 championships. There he already showed that he had great potential."
Vitinho's beginnings
R-10 Soccer is a private football school founded by Robson, better known as Robinho, and aimed at children aged seven to 14 who dream of a career in sport.
Having been on the market for 17 years, the project has partnered with Brazilian clubs for recruitment, inviting scouts to attend training sessions and championships.
Classes take place at the ADC Parahyba Stadium with a simple structure and "roots football" style: natural grass, modest dressing room and stands for 5,000 people. Students receive uniforms and use materials such as balls, cones and barriers in training, which takes place in the morning and afternoon, with classes divided by age and supervised by teachers.
Players who shine today in Brazil and the world serve as an example of success. Yuri Alberto, currently at Corinthians and a Premier League target, and Vítor Reis, currently at Manchester City, were students at R-10 Soccer.
"In all of our training, we start with the motor coordination part, we do fundamental work to improve the player's evolution. Our work here is not recreational, it is training work just like the club works," highlights Robinho.
Vitinho arrived at R-10 at the age of seven and was recruited to the Palmeiras academy at the age of 10n. When he turned 14, he moved to the Alviverde academy training ground, but continued participating in activities at the Sao Jose dos Campos school.
"We followed Vítor's evolution in each category. Many students, when they reach 13 or 14 years old, are no longer able to mature. Not Vitor. He increasingly climbed the step on a scale until he reached the professional top," explained Robinho.
Vitor Reis, a standout since he was little
© Imago
On July 1, 2024, Palmeiras were facing their biggest rivals Corinthians for a major game and did not have either of their best and more experienced centre-backs - Gustavo Gomez and Murilo. To replace the veterans, they called upon two youngsters: Kaiky Naves and Vitor Reis.
Naves was already a well-known name among Palmeiras fans, but Vitor Reis was new to many - and he did not disappoint.
In addition to his good performance in defence, the then 18-year-old was the scorer of the second goal in the 2-0 victory and became one of coach Abel Ferreira's trusted players.
But for those who worked with Vitor, his performance against Corinthians on his debut was nothing new. The Brazilian wonderkid was a highlight since he was a child, before arriving at Palmeiras.
"He already demonstrated personality at the age of seven. He went for Palmeiras and his leadership developed more and more," Robinho highlighted, in a proud tone.
"We were already looking around and saying 'this guy is playing professionally in the future'. He's a hard-working boy. There was no way it could go wrong."
Even the fact of finding the net was not a surprise for Vitor's first teacher; he has played as a midfielder, winger and was top scorer in a youth competition, but his best qualities have always been being a defender.
To achieve all this, the player did not lack dedication. The demands for seriousness during classes and the advice from teachers were fundamental for the defender, adding to his talent, as Robinho explains.
"Despite being so young, he already had leadership. You could see how he really wanted it. So it's a lot of dedication, a lot of training, a lot of effort, a lot of pressure. The player has to be very focused and has to want it. That's what I always said to Vitinho."
A big reinforcement for Manchester City
© IconSport
Vitor Reis quickly gained the affection of the Palmeiras fans.
The Brazilian's performance enchanted supporters and attracted interest from abroad - Arsenal and Brighton & Hove Albion showed interest in the Brazilian and even formalised proposals to Palmeiras.
However, it was Manchester City that got the better of the negotiations, completing a "dream come true" for both the player and for those who steered his formative years.
"He always trained seriously. Imagine at Palmeiras how he must have taken it more seriously, which is his dream, he wasn't going to miss this opportunity. So, thank God this dream came true, and ours as well, of putting another player in a professional club," Robson told PL Brasil.
Man City fans can be excited about the young 19-year-old defender. Even at such a young age, he serves as an inspiration for new generations of players, especially after a special visit to training at R-10 Soccer in December 2024.
"I even mentioned to the students' parents that in the future he would be playing abroad. The club that signs Vitor Reis will be signing an excellent, dedicated, competent player and future name for the Brazilian national team," said Robinho proudly about his former student.
Vitor Reis's £29.6m arrival was one of two centre-back signings Man City have made already in January, following the deal to bring Abdukodir Khusanov in from Lens.
This article was originally published on Sports Mole's sister site PL Brasil.
