Inspiring Journeys
Since the opening of PFA Portugal, we have welcomed athletes from every corner of the world — each with their own story, ambitions, and dreams.
Whether they stayed with us for five days or five years, we are proud to have contributed to their development, both in football and in life. Over the years, we have accompanied incredible journeys: players who grew on the pitch, students who excelled academically, and young people who found confidence, discipline, and direction.
Here, we share some of the inspiring paths taken by athletes who have been part of our academy and continue to make us proud in many different areas.
Roshawn arrived at PFA Portugal in 2018 as a driven midfielder with the ambition to grow. Across several seasons - and several returns - he embraced every challenge, developing tactical maturity, discipline, and consistency while competing for multiple Portuguese clubs.
His perseverance paid off when he was scouted after the 2025 PFA Portugal preseason and signed his first professional contract with Pacific FC - Canadian Premier League - First Division.
Today, he is a standout defensive midfielder in the Canadian Premier League, proving that commitment, patience, and resilience can turn long-term work into a first-division breakthrough.
ROSHAWN JUHMI
Nationality: Canadian / Jamaican
Position: Defensive Midfielder
Seasons at PFA Portugal: 2018–2025
TAN BOYU
Nationality: Chinese
Years at PFA Portugal: 2019–2025
Current Role: Player at AC Marinhense
Tan Boyu joined PFA Portugal in 2019 and quickly became one of the most inspiring examples of resilience and determination within the academy.
Through years of consistent work, he adapted to a new country, a new football culture, and completed high school in Portuguese, a remarkable achievement that reflects his discipline and commitment.
Known for his grit and never-give-up mentality, Tan Boyu’s journey proves that hard work and patience pay off.
In 2025, his persistence was rewarded when he signed with A.C. Marinhense, taking the next step in his football career and showing that dedication, day after day, creates real opportunities.
BAXTER HANLEY
Nationality: Australian
Position: Defensive Midfielder / Central Midfielder
Years at PFA Portugal: 2020–2021
Baxter arrived at PFA Portugal from Australia with a clear purpose: to build a football career in Europe.
Known for his mature mindset and exceptional work ethic, he quickly adapted to Portugal’s demanding football environment and progressed steadily through youth and senior levels at Vaguense and Beira-Mar.
His commitment and discipline opened the door to a major milestone - signing his first professional contract with Vittorio Veneto in Italy’s Serie D.
Baxter’s journey stands as a powerful example of courage and ambition, proving that leaving home to chase a dream can lead to real opportunities in professional football.
GABRIEL NÚÑEZ
Nationality: El Salvador
Position: Midfielder
Years at PFA Portugal: 2016–2020
Gabriel joined PFA Portugal in 2016 and quickly stood out for his discipline, maturity, and commitment to personal growth. While training at the academy, he consistently competed at senior level with clubs across Portugal, gaining real match experience and developing strong tactical intelligence.
Alongside football, he studied Sports Science, proving exceptional balance between athletic and academic ambition.
After leaving Portugal, Gabriel built a professional career in Central America and represented the Dominican Republic National Team before founding his own academy, inspired by the values he learned at PFA Portugal.
His path shows how a determined mindset can turn years of hard work into leadership, impact, and long-term success - both in football and beyond it.
CLÁUDIO CARRÃO
Nationality: Portuguese
Position: Forward
Years at PFA Portugal: 2016 - 2024
Cláudio Carrão is one of the academy’s longest-serving athletes. A decade-long journey of commitment, resilience, and consistency. He joined Pro Football Academy Portugal around 2016-2017 and never stopped evolving, no matter how many challenges or club moves he faced.
Over 10 years, he transformed from a young academy student into a fully professional footballer now playing in Italy - Professional Team in Italy (Serie D – 5th Division).
He is one of the most complete examples of long-term development inside Pro Football Academy Portugal.
NAZAR and ZAKHAR TERPUGOV
Nationality: Russia
Position: Forward / Striker ; Forward / Winger
Years at PFA Portugal: 2018 - 2022
Zakhar and Nazar Terpugov represent one of the most remarkable family stories to pass through PFA Portugal.
Zakhar joined the academy in 2018 and quickly established himself as one of the most talented forwards we have developed. A powerful, technical winger with a natural instinct for goals, strong discipline, and a highly professional mindset. Progressing through youth and senior football in Portugal, he consistently delivered goals and earned multiple professional contracts before the age of 20.
His younger brother, Nazar, followed a similar path. Born in Japan, raised internationally, and shaped in Portugal, Nazar developed into a gifted striker with exceptional finishing ability. Even at youth level, his goal-scoring numbers stood out, reaching levels typically seen only in top professional academies.
Together, the Terpugov brothers embody talent, ambition, and the impact of long-term development - two journeys shaped by hard work, opportunity, and a relentless desire to score goals.
EAMON HATOUM
Nationality: British
Position: Midfielder / Winger
Years at PFA Portugal: 2017 - 2021
Eamon Hatoum represents one of the academy’s strongest examples of determination and global mobility. Joining Pro Football Academy Portugal in 2017, he trained full-time in his early years and continued to return to the academy every preseason, even after moving cities for higher-level clubs.
His journey proves that no matter where life or football takes you, you can always keep growing and pushing forward. Today, he is a professional footballer in Bahrain, marking a major international milestone in his career.
Eamon proves that commitment pays off - even if the road is not always linear.
LIANG XUN, TANG CHUXUAN & MA BENLI
Nationality: Chinese
Years at PFA Portugal: 2019–2025
Liang Xun, Tang Chuxuan, and Ma Benli joined PFA Portugal in 2019 and quickly established themselves as some of the most disciplined, focused, and hard-working members of the academy’s Chinese group.
Over six years, they developed through the Portuguese youth and senior football system — playing for clubs such as Gafanha, ALBA, and Ala-Arriba, where Liang Xun and Tang Chuxuan both contributed to a league title and a historic promotion.
Alongside football, they completed their 12th grade at Colégio de Calvão and earned their UEFA C coaching licences, gaining valuable coaching experience with Benfica Aveiro’s youth teams.
Their academic success, cultural integration, and on-field progression reflect the full PFA Portugal pathway: high-level football, strong education, and personal development.
TESTIMONIALS
Loved by Players, Trusted by Parents.
Seriously! But don’t take our word for it, here are some things people have to say about us.
“The community at PFA Portugal is great - players get along with each other, and always push each other in training, and it makes for a great environment. The academy pushes me every day - even when I don’t think I can do it, they always push to get where I want to be. I feel like I have grown so much here as a person and as a player. All around, I am a completely different player than when I first came here! I think Aveiro is a great city. I love how beautiful it is here. I feel safe here in Aveiro. love walking around here, going to the park, and going to the mall.”
— Jason King, Athlete of the Long Term Program (18 years old, USA)
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What touched us most is the family-like environment they have created. The coaches, staff, and players support each other and make the academy feel like a second home. As parents, we are very happy and reassured by the care, facilities, and nurturing environment our son receives.
It gives us great confidence in his development both as a player and as a person.
— Parent of a Long Term Athlete (India)
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“My son is completely obsessed with the game, learning the game the right way, learning how to become a professional, being taught how to become a professional from daily habits to daily mindset - There aren't many places that do those types of things. Pro Football Academy Portugal is one of those academies that will look at you as an individual player, as an individual person, and develop you from the inside out to be the best player that you can be.”
— Parent of a Long Term Program Athlete (USA)
