Goncalo Ramos, Joao Neves, Renato Sanches and Ruben Dias are just some of the names that he's worked with over the years, and he spoke to Flashscore about them and much more.
A player can perform excellently for the B team and still not be ready for the first team. In your view, what separates these two levels, particularly at Benfica, where the competitive leap is so demanding?
"One of the most important aspects of the relationship between the B team and the first team is understanding the coaches' feedback. It is essential to understand what they tell us about the players, because responding in Liga 2 is one thing, while responding when tested alongside the best is another.
"Generally speaking, the feedback we receive is positive. In addition to their potential and ability, the players stand out for their mentality and competitiveness.
"Naturally, there is a huge difference between the level of competition in Liga 2 and that faced by Benfica's first team. We have had recent examples such as Joao Neves and Goncalo Ramos, who got their opportunity and rose to the challenge, but there are other paths too. Sometimes a player needs to go through an intermediate competitive environment, as happened with Tomas Araujo, who developed at Gil Vicente, returned to Benfica and proved he was ready.
"Ultimately, we have to focus closely on the individual and assess, case by case, the best level and the best route for each player. For some, the path leads directly to the first team. Others need to leave the club before returning. That is also a perfectly valid route. Above all, every player is different, with his own characteristics and needs."
When you look at an 18 or 19-year-old player, can you quickly tell whether he has what it takes to reach the highest level, or has football taught you that the journey is not so linear?
"No, it is not that linear. Some players make a good first impression when they join the B team and later confirm that assessment. But there are also others whom we initially think will struggle to reach a certain level, only for them to get there after all.
"I remember Joao Carvalho, for example, who is currently at Estoril. When he joined the B team, he was one of those players who made us think: 'What a player!' He was different, with excellent dribbling, passing and shooting ability, as well as great decision-making in tight spaces and under pressure. Joao Neves also emerged in this environment and made that kind of first impression. But the truth is that practice is the ultimate test.
"There are also players who go somewhat unnoticed and later build outstanding careers, such as Alexandre Penetra. These things are not an exact science. Every player has his own timing and moment, and circumstances also have a major influence.
"I remember Renato Sanches, for example. He made his B-team debut in Santa Maria da Feira, and it was the worst game I had seen him play. He received the ball and lost it, misplaced passes and miscontrolled it. But what set him apart at that moment? He never hid from the ball. He lost it and immediately asked for it again. He always took responsibility. Those are also important indicators because they show how a player reacts to mistakes and responds to adversity.
"I also remember Ruben Dias. If we look at his academy journey, there were probably moments when we wondered whether he could reach the level he is at today. That is why we cannot assume that a player's development is a linear process."
Another interesting case is Gianluca Prestianni, who arrived from abroad and played his first matches in Portugal for the B team under your guidance. Given the form he is showing now, are you surprised by his development?
"No. I think anyone who knows Prestianni is not surprised. When there was talk of Benfica signing him, I tried to learn more about his characteristics and felt that we were looking at a special player.
"Naturally, he was a very young player arriving from another club and a completely different environment. He needed time and space to adapt, grow and develop. In the matches he played for the B team, he began to show very positive signs, although at first they were more intermittent. He produced actions that clearly showed his quality, but there were also moments when he drifted out of the game somewhat.
"By the end of his time with the B team, we could already see that he was at a different level. He was a player who made a difference. The way he is performing this season is a natural consequence of his quality and ability, but also of the work the coaches have done with him."
Regarding the connection between the B team and the first team, what is your relationship with Marco Silva like? Are you in regular contact?
"It has gone very well. We must not forget that coach Marco started the season almost immediately with competitive matches, which made the task more difficult. Even so, he showed great interest in getting to know the players and the B team's dynamics.
"It developed naturally, partly because he knows Portuguese football and was already familiar with this relationship between the B team and the first team.
"From our side, there is also the natural interest because we are a support team for the first team. We need to understand their routines and dynamics so that we can respond to the first team's needs at any given moment.
"There is a direct connection with Marco Silva, particularly by phone, but there are also other lines of communication, such as Ricardo Rocha and Simao Sabrosa. There is a concern and care to monitor how the players work and train. We have already had the opportunity to see Marco Silva watching a B-team match live, while Ricardo Rocha attends on other occasions.
"Above all, we feel there is genuine interest in how the players are being developed."
Goncalo Ramos is now among the elite of the game. Is seeing players you have worked with develop and shine at higher levels one of the highlights of your career?
"I played a small part. Sometimes people say that Nelson Verissimo launched Goncalo Ramos... but I cannot forget all the work that was done, because I am the one who takes the credit publicly, but behind me there is the work of many people.
"That includes the people who discovered the player and brought him into the academy, as well as all the work done in nutrition, psychology and the other departments. Then the coach, based on the player's quality, performances and training and work habits, decides whether or not to select him.
"Obviously, when I look at a Goncalo Ramos, a Tiago Santos or a Joao Marques - players we also worked with at Estoril before they went on to follow their own paths - we feel happy. We feel that we played a small part in those players' development and growth. And when we see them competing at the highest level, it fills us with pride and satisfaction and motivates us to continue our work."
Ten years from now, when you look back on this period at the Adidas Benfica Campus, what would you like the players you have coached to say about eélson Verissimo?
"It is a difficult question. I think that today players value the coach in front of them, but also his actions. I try to be consistent in my decisions, although in the players' eyes that consistency is always open to question.
"Above all, I would like them to see me as someone who contributed to their growth and development, not only as athletes but also as people. Because the coach, as well as developing the player, also helps shape the man and the person.
"I would like them to see me as someone who, through sharing experiences and talking about life, helped them make good decisions - not just in sporting terms, but throughout their personal lives as well."
Football has given you a great deal and will also have taken some things from you over the years. If football were a person and you could speak to it directly, what would you say?
"It has given me more. Football always gives more than it takes away. I would tell it to keep spreading its magic. I think football is more art than science. The essence of football is the game itself and the players. May they continue to spread their magic.
"Football has the ability to reach places that other activities or organisations cannot. It has a major social role, not only on the pitch but also through its ability to shape opinions and draw attention to situations happening around the world. When that exposure is used positively, humanity benefits.
"It is the joy of seeing a child in a stadium admiring a match, a player or a pass. It is admiring the crowd gathered in a stadium to applaud the team or drive it on in the most difficult moments. Football is a game of emotions and sensations, and it becomes a spectacle that reaches many people.
"All of that is magic. It is the magic of football. And we have to use that magic positively."
