Portugal Football Trip Delivers High‑Energy Week for Students

During half term, pupils in Years 8–11 embarked on an exciting Football Development Tour to Portugal, combining elite coaching, competitive fixtures, and memorable cultural experiences. The trip began with an afternoon training session led by professional coaches at the Benfica Campus, followed by surf lessons at the beach, where pupils challenged their coordination and balance in a new environment.

On Wednesday, the group continued their development with further coaching sessions before enjoying an inspiring tour of the SL Benfica museum, alongside an exclusive behind-the-scenes visit to the Estádio da Luz. This provided pupils with a unique insight into the day-to-day life of professional players and the inner workings of a top-level stadium.

During the tour, the teams competed in a series of fixtures against Portuguese opposition, Clube Desportivo da Venda do Pinheiro and AD Quinta do Conde, achieving an impressive three wins from four matches. Across the games, pupils demonstrated excellent teamwork, skill, and determination, contributing to a number of standout performances and goals.

Our football trip to Benfica in Portugal was an amazing experience. We trained in great facilities, learnt new skills, and improved our footballing ability. One of my favourite moments was when we played against a local team, which was really fun and exciting.

Evie, year 11