Renato Sanches facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Renato Sanches

Sanches playing for Bayern Munich in 2019
Personal information
Full name	Renato Júnior Luz Sanches
Date of birth	(1997-08-18) 18 August 1997 (age 28)
Place of birth	Amadora, Portugal
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Paris Saint-Germain
Youth career
2005–2006	Águias da Musgueira
2006–2015	Benfica
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2014–2015	Benfica B	34	(3)
2015–2016	Benfica	24	(2)
2016–2019	Bayern Munich	35	(1)
2017–2018	→ Swansea City (loan)	12	(0)
2019–2022	Lille	67	(6)
2022–	Paris Saint-Germain	23	(2)
2023–2024	→ Roma (loan)	7	(1)
2024–2025	→ Benfica (loan)	10	(0)
International career
2012	Portugal U15	2	(0)
2012–2013	Portugal U16	7	(1)
2013–2014	Portugal U17	19	(4)
2014–2015	Portugal U19	12	(3)
2017	Portugal U21	4	(0)
2016–	Portugal	32	(3)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Portugal UEFA European Championship Winner 2016 France
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 03:13, 3 April 2025 (UTC)

Renato Júnior Luz Sanches (born on August 18, 1997) is a professional footballer from Portugal. He plays as a midfielder for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain.

Renato Sanches started his career at Benfica. He first played for their reserve team in October 2014. A year later, he joined the main team. In his only season with Benfica, he helped them win the Primeira Liga (the top Portuguese league) and the Taça da Liga (a cup competition). He was also named the Primeira Liga Breakthrough Player and won the Golden Boy award.

His great performances caught the eye of German club Bayern Munich. They signed him in July 2016 for a large fee. After a challenging first season, he was loaned to Premier League team Swansea City in August 2017. He later moved to French club Lille in August 2019. There, he helped Lille win the 2020–21 Ligue 1 title, which was their first league win in 10 years. In 2022, he joined Paris Saint-Germain. He was then loaned to Italian club Roma in 2023 and returned to Benfica on loan in 2024.

Renato Sanches also played for Portugal's national youth teams, earning 40 caps and scoring 8 goals. He made his debut for the senior national team in March 2016. At just 18 years old, he was chosen for UEFA Euro 2016. This made him the youngest Portuguese player to play in an international tournament. He also became the youngest player to win a UEFA Euro final. He scored one goal during the tournament and was named the Young Player of the Tournament. Portugal won the title for the first time in their history.

Early Life and Football Start

Renato Sanches was born in Amadora, Portugal, on August 18, 1997. His father was from São Tomé and Príncipe, and his mother was from Cape Verde. His grandmother called him Bulo. He grew up in a neighborhood in Lisbon called Musgueira. His parents separated when he was very young. His birth was not officially registered until his father came back in 2002.

He started playing football at Águias da Musgueira when he was eight. In 2006, at age nine, he joined Benfica's youth academy. Benfica paid €750 and gave 25 footballs to sign him! He impressed Benfica coaches after training with them for only 15 minutes.

Club Career Highlights

Benfica Journey

Sanches in a Champions League match with Benfica in 2016

Renato Sanches began his professional career in the 2014–15 season with Benfica's B-team. He played his first game on October 5, 2014. He scored his first goal for the B-team on August 30, 2015.

In the 2015–16 season, Sanches was moved up to the first team. On October 30, 2015, he made his debut for the main team. He came on as a substitute in a 4–0 win against Tondela.

In November 2015, Sanches signed a new contract with Benfica until 2021. On November 25, he started his first game for the team in a UEFA Champions League match. On December 4, he scored his first goal for Benfica with a powerful shot from 30 meters away. This made him Benfica's youngest player to score a home goal in the 21st century. His goal was even chosen as the Goal of the Month!

He scored another goal on January 2, 2016. On April 24, he faced some racist behavior from fans during an away game. He responded by smiling and mimicking a monkey, showing he wouldn't let it bother him. Benfica went on to win the league title that season. In his last game for Benfica, on May 20, 2016, they won the 2016 Taça da Liga Final cup.

Time at Bayern Munich

Joining the German Giants

Sanches training with Bayern in May 2017

On May 10, 2016, Renato Sanches signed a five-year contract with German club Bayern Munich. The transfer fee was €35 million, which was a very high amount for a Portuguese player from their home league at that time. He became the first Portuguese player to join Bayern.

After recovering from a thigh injury, Sanches played his first game for Bayern on September 9, 2016. On October 24, he won the Golden Boy award. This award is given to the best European player under 21 years old.

Challenges and Loan to Swansea

In his first season with Bayern (2016–17), Sanches found it tough to get playing time. He played in 25 matches but did not score any goals or make any assists. He had strong competition from experienced players like Arturo Vidal and Thiago. He also faced challenges with the language and settling into the team.

To get more playing time, Sanches joined Premier League club Swansea City on a one-year loan on August 31, 2017. He made his debut for Swansea ten days later. However, he struggled there too and suffered from hamstring injuries. He did not play any competitive matches after January 2018.

Return to Bayern and Trophies

Sanches playing for Bayern in August 2019

Renato Sanches returned to Bayern Munich on July 1, 2018. The new Bayern manager, Niko Kovač, wanted to help him feel comfortable and play well. On September 19, Sanches scored his first goal for Bayern in a Champions League match against his former club, Benfica. He was even chosen as Bayern's best player for September.

On May 18, 2019, he scored his first Bundesliga goal, helping Bayern win the league title. A week later, he won his first DFB-Pokal (German Cup) with Bayern.

In August 2019, Sanches expressed his desire to leave Bayern to play more regularly. He was fined for missing a training session after a game.

Success with Lille

Joining Lille and First Season

Sanches playing for Lille against Ajax Amsterdam in 2019

On August 23, 2019, Sanches joined French club Lille on a four-year contract. The transfer fee was €20 million, making him Lille's most expensive signing ever. He made his debut on September 1.

Initially, his manager used him in different positions. He scored his first goal for Lille on December 13, 2019. He suffered a hamstring injury in November, but after recovering, he became a regular starter. His strong performances earned him Lille's Player of the Month award for December and January. He played in 30 games, scoring 4 goals, and helped Lille finish 4th in the league.

Winning the Ligue 1 Title

In the 2020–21 season, Sanches played a key role in Lille's midfield. Despite another hamstring injury, he remained important for the team. He made 29 appearances and provided a crucial assist that helped Lille win the 2020–21 Ligue 1 title. This was a huge achievement, ending the club's 10-year wait for a league championship.

Final Season at Lille

Sanches playing for Lille in 2021

At the start of the 2021–22 season, Sanches had another hamstring injury that required surgery. This kept him out for seven weeks. He returned to play on October 3. On December 1, he scored his first goal of the season.

Moving to Paris Saint-Germain

On August 4, 2022, Renato Sanches signed a permanent deal with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) until 2027. The transfer fee was €10 million. He made his PSG debut on August 13, scoring a goal shortly after coming on as a substitute in a 5–2 win. He helped PSG win the 2022–23 Ligue 1 title.

Loan to Roma

On August 16, 2023, Sanches joined Italian club Roma on a loan for the season. The deal included an option for Roma to buy him permanently.

Return to Benfica (Loan)

On August 5, 2024, Renato Sanches returned to Benfica on a loan deal. This move was part of a larger transfer involving another player, João Neves.

International Career

Renato Sanches played for Portugal's youth teams many times. He played in the 2014 UEFA European Under-17 Championship, where Portugal reached the semi-finals. He was named in the Team of the Tournament.

On March 18, 2016, he was called up to the senior national team. He made his debut for Portugal on March 25, 2016.

UEFA Euro 2016 Success

Sanches scoring the equaliser for Portugal against Poland at UEFA Euro 2016

Renato Sanches was chosen for UEFA Euro 2016. This made him the youngest Portuguese player ever to be picked for a major international competition, breaking Cristiano Ronaldo's record. He played his first game in the tournament on June 14.

In the quarter-finals against Poland, Sanches became the youngest Portuguese player to start in a major tournament. He scored a goal from outside the box, making him the youngest player to score in a knockout match at a UEFA European Championship. Portugal won the game in a penalty shootout, and Sanches was named man of the match again.

Portugal went on to win the final against France 1–0. After the tournament, Sanches received the Young Player of the Tournament Award for his amazing performances.

After Euro 2016

Sanches was not included in Portugal's squad for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. Instead, he played in the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. He was also not in the squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

In September 2018, Sanches was called back to the national team. He played his first international game in nearly 18 months. He was also part of Portugal's squad for the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament (which was played in 2021 due to the pandemic). He played an important role, especially in games against France and Belgium. Despite his strong performances, Portugal was eliminated in the round of 16.

He was named in Portugal's preliminary squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup but was not in the final team. He was also not selected for UEFA Euro 2024.

Playing Style

Renato Sanches is known for being very flexible in midfield. He can play in defensive, attacking, central, and wide positions. He is strong, good at passing, and stays calm when he has the ball. Because of his playing style and hair, some people have compared him to the Dutch footballer Edgar Davids.

However, Sanches himself has compared his style to another Dutch player, Clarence Seedorf. During Euro 2016, former player Pierre van Hooijdonk also said Sanches played with the same intensity as Seedorf.

At Lille, his manager often used him in a two-player midfield or as an attacking player on the right side. He also played on the left side or in the middle, helping in attack and defense.

Personal Life

Renato Sanches has cousins who are also professional footballers. Their names are Cláudio, Miguel, and Jair Tavares.

Career Statistics

Club

International

List of international goals scored by Renato Sanches

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	30 June 2016	Stade Vélodrome, Marseille, France	Poland	1–1	1–1 (aet)	UEFA Euro 2016
2	11 November 2020	Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal	Andorra	3–0	7–0	Friendly
3	14 November 2021	Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal	Serbia	1–0	1–2	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours and Awards

Renato Sanches has won many titles and awards throughout his career:

Benfica

• Primeira Liga: 2015–16
• Taça da Liga: 2015–16, 2024–25

Bayern Munich

• Bundesliga: 2016–17, 2018–19
• DFB-Pokal: 2018–19
• DFL-Supercup: 2017

Lille

• Ligue 1: 2020–21
• Trophée des Champions: 2021

Paris Saint-Germain

• Ligue 1: 2022–23

Portugal National Team

• UEFA European Championship: 2016

Individual Awards

• UEFA European Under-17 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2014
• Primeira Liga Goal of the Month: December 2015
• UEFA European Championship Young Player of the Tournament: 2016
• Primeira Liga Breakthrough Player: 2015–16
• Primeira Liga Best Goal: 2015–16
• Golden Boy: 2016
• UEFA Champions League Breakthrough XI: 2016
• FPF Revelation Player of the Year: 2016

Orders

• Commander of the Order of Merit

See also

In Spanish: Renato Sanches para niños