The Teenager From Palmeiras
Vitor Reis: The teenager from Palmeiras who Real Madrid and Arsenal are vying for, called “the new Marquinhos”
Is there a football team in the world currently with a more successful youth system than Palmeiras? In October 2022, Endrick became the youngest-ever debutant in the club’s history, having only turned 16 two months earlier. Real Madrid had acquired him at the beginning of the year for €47.5 million (£40 million/$52 million).
Then, in June of this year, West Ham paid £19 million ($25 million) for Luis Guilherme (18) in the span of nine days.
Chelsea then reached an agreement to pay £28 million ($37 million) for Estevao Willian (17) in the summer of 2025.
When the latter gets to Stamford Bridge, there is a good chance that another Palmeiras product will be headed to Europe.
Vitor Reis 18 is currently being watched by a number of elite teams, including Arsenal and most likely.
Real Madrid, who have made a name for themselves for accumulating the best young players in Brazil.
Who then is the most recent talent to emerge from the Allianz Parque?
Everything you need to know about Vitor Reis, who is already being compared to some Selecao stars, is provided below by GOAL.
The Starting Point of Everything
Reis began his career at the R10 Academy, founded by former Brazil international Robinho, before he was selected by Palmeiras in 2016 at the age of ten.
The youthful center back made rapid development in the Sao Paulo team’s youth divisions, frequently playing with players like Endrick, Guilherme, and Estevao. He made an impression with both his leadership and defensive abilities.
He posted on Instagram, saying, “I have been at this club since 2016 and it is become my home.
“I have had amazing experiences, and I am going to stay committed to making the Palmeiras family smile even more and working to advance my career.”
The Moment of Truth
Reis was seen as a star in the making at the Allianz Parque and was most likely to make his debut during the 2024 Brasileiro Serie A season.
Having already led both Palmeiras and Brazil at the Under-17 level.
On June 26 of this year, he made his professional debut as a late substitution in a 3-0 loss at Fortaleza after working out with the first team on a regular basis.
Even though Reis only played for the last fifteen minutes, coach Abel Ferreira was clearly impressed by the young player’s skill and poise.
With several first-team regulars missing from Palmeiras—including captain Gustavo Gomez, who was traveling with Paraguay for the Copa America—the coach started the teenager in the starting lineup for a matchup against Corinthians.
At the center of the Palmeiras defense, Reis flourished with Kaiky Naves, another academy product.
He finished a Man-of-the-Match-winning performance with a headed goal from a corner kick by Raphael Veiga to seal a 2-0 victory.
How things are progressing
A small muscle ailment has hampered Reis’s progress in recent weeks.
And he has found it difficult to reclaim his starting position.
He has, nevertheless.
It is also significant that the Verdao have extended his contract.
Which was originally set to expire in December 2028 at €100 million (£84 million/$110 million).
Greatest Advantages
Reis is already quite the experienced and outspoken defender for someone his age. Although he is fast and nimble, his ability to understand the game is what really jumps out about his play. He has a fantastic passing range and never seems to get caught out of position.
With his ability to inspire and coordinate those around him.
He also has the appearance of a future captain of Brazil. Fortunately, he also knows full well that he is far from the finished product.
Potential for Development
Reis is not the tallest center back in the league; at 6’1″ he has a fairly thin build.
Because of this, if he moves to Europe, he will undoubtedly need to put on weight because, at the moment.
He does not appear prepared for the demands of the Premier League, for instance.
But it is important to keep in mind that he is still just 18 and has a lot of time left to mature.
Both mentally and physically. “When the mind is strong, everything else will be strong too,” he once said.
The Following Marquinhos?
Reis is a central defense captain who is incredibly composed and at ease with the ball.
Which has probably certainly led to comparisons with fellow countryman Marquinhos.
Even more predictably, the adolescent acknowledged that he has taken inspiration for his style of play from the captain of Brazil and Paris Saint-Germain.
He declared, “I have always looked up to Marquinhos.” “His mentality both on and off the pitch inspires me.”
He has acknowledged, nevertheless, that he is now picking up a lot of knowledge from his Palmeiras teammates.
“I used to watch a lot of Thiago Silva and Marquinhos when I was little,” he remarked.
I learned everything I needed to do from them in order to excel as a center back.”
