Benfica Richard Ríos Contratação Futebol

Richard Ríos, a 25-year-old midfielder, is a new signing for Sport Lisboa e Benfica's professional football team. He signed a contract with the club valid until 2030, transferring from Palmeiras to Estádio da Luz.

The terms of the deal were detailed to the Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMVM): "Sport Lisboa e Benfica – Futebol, SAD announces that it has reached an agreement with Palmeiras for the acquisition of all rights to the player Richard Ríos, for a total of €27,000,000 (twenty-seven million euros). Benfica SAD will be responsible for a portion of the solidarity mechanism for clubs that participated in the player's development, which is estimated at an additional amount of approximately €419,000 (four hundred and nineteen thousand euros). It is further noted that a sports employment contract has been signed with the aforementioned player, valid until June 30, 2030, which includes a termination clause in the amount of €100,000,000 (one hundred million euros)."

Officially announced and presented on Tuesday, July 22, as a new member of the Eagles, the Colombian international thanked Benfica fans for their warm welcome, highlighting the usefulness of his experience in futsal, as well as his fluency in Portuguese.

"It's a huge joy for me and my family. It's a giant step forward in my career. It was a dream to play in Europe, and now being at a club as big as Benfica is something that is very rewarding for me and my family," said Richard Ríos in an interview with BTV.

CAREER

Richard Ríos' introduction to football took place on the streets of his hometown, Vegachí, Colombia, where playing with friends led him, as a teenager, to take his first steps in 11-a-side football.

But it was futsal that took him forward. At the age of 16, he became a professional player and progressed as such with Alianza Platanera. At 17, he joined the Colombian national team that competed in the South American Under-20 Championship in Peru.

Richard Ríos' performances caught the attention of several observers and prompted the athlete to return to the pitch, joining Flamengo in 2019 and becoming part of the Under-20 team. He once again proved his worth and, as a defensive midfielder, made his official debut for the Mengão on January 23, 2020, against Vasco da Gama, then in the Rio de Janeiro State Championship.

The first match in the Brasileirão took place on September 27, 2020, precisely in the away game against Palmeiras, with approximately 19 minutes on the pitch.

In 2021, Richard Ríos played four games for Flamengo and was loaned out for six months to Mexican club Mazatlán.

In 2022, he returned to Brazil to play for Guarani (Serie B), making his debut on August 11. That same year, the club acquired the player's sporting and economic rights from Flamengo.

At Campinas, Richard Ríos performed well, playing 20 games and scoring three goals, and Palmeiras moved to sign him in March 2023. On April 6, he made his debut for the São Paulo club under Abel Ferreira, against Bolívar in the group stage of the Copa Libertadores.

On October 12, 2023, he made his debut for the Colombian national team, for which he has played 23 international matches and scored two goals to date.

Richard Ríos has won two Brazilian Championships, two Rio de Janeiro Championships, and one São Paulo Championship.

The Colombian international midfielder arrives at Benfica after playing 138 games and scoring 11 goals for Palmeiras.