Life Before Wolves | Ruben Vinagre

Rúben Vinagre only turned 20 this season but can already fall back on experience of youth international honours and a year of Premier League football.

The Portuguese has been on the books of two high-profile European clubs and is continuing his journey at Molineux.

LEARNING THE TRADE

Belenenses | 2011/12

It was a good year. I learned a lot and grew as a player. It was in Belenenses that I started playing as a left-back, I played left forward before that. It was a good year and it was really good playing for a historic club like the Belenenses.

THE ACADEMY YEARS

Sporting CP | 2012-15

When I arrived at Sporting I very young, but it was very, very good. Everyone wanted to be at Sporting when that age. It was the best club and the best football schooling, so it was very important for me to be there.

SAMPLING LIFE OVERSEAS

Monaco | 2015/16

At Monaco it was very difficult. I had two injuries that made my job difficult, but I learned a lot because I passed through new situations. I left the country of my birth and it made me grow up really fast. It's a very meaningful club for me because that's where I grew into a man.

TASTE OF SUCCESS

Portugal | 2016 European Under-17 Champions

It was fantastic. We knew it would be difficult, but we had the goal to win it, although we were afraid to say that. We had never participated in a European competition, but we knew that we could win. We went to the European Championships after a defeat against Germany and wanted to play against Germany again to beat them. Luckily everything went well and we felt we could do everything.

MORE INTERNATIONAL GLORY

Portugal | 2018 European Under-19 Champions

It was very good. We wanted that title because we knew that we could make history - the first team winning as under-17s and under-19s. I remember that we cried a lot after the victory and we started to think about World Cup. We wanted to be world champions. About the moment, there are no words to describe it - only joy.