Rafael Leão: AC Milan’s Spectacular Superstar

In the last three years, one man has been the standout player for Italian giants AC Milan—the same man who signed a five-year extension last year: Portuguese winger Rafael Leão.

AC Milan’s sensational superstar has been exceptional for AC Milan these past few years. The Wideman has racked up 60 combined goals and assists over the last three seasons. The winger is one of the most exciting players in the game today, combining direct dribbling with ruthless finishing. Rafael Leão is the archetype of a winger who effectively plays like a striker. Marcus Rashford and Kylian Mbappe are similar players who play on the wing but have the instinct of a striker.

The difference, however, between the AC Milan striker and the others mentioned is his physical presence. Rafael Leão stands at 6.1 and has a huge wingspan, which allows him to hold off defenders and drive forward. The winger has a build similar to that of someone like Tammy Abraham, which is a huge asset for a winger. A quick winger, a good finisher, and a physical presence is quite the combination.

We take a deep dive into Rafael Leão’s game and analyse what his strengths are.

Rafael Leão: Finishing

Portuguese goal-scoring ability is arguably his greatest asset, with AC Milan’s superstar being a highly efficient finisher. Leão is an extremely composed finisher, with most of his goals being shots in the bottom corner. Some players panic in front of the goal and end up putting their foot through the ball, which ends in the shot going into row Z. This isn’t a problem with Leão. He may be a winger, but he has the composure of a striker.

When a right-footer plays on the left wing, it naturally opens the right-footed finish into the far corner. Leão is an expert at this. Not only can he pass the ball into the corner from the left, but he has a wide arsenal of finishes. Some of these include finishes with his left foot, where he is as deadly.

With the AC Milan star being two-footed, the goalkeeper and defenders are uncertain about where he is going to go. One trademark that fans have noticed about the attacker is when he is through on goal, Leão smiles before he shoots. On one hand, this shows how relieved he is when he is through on goal. On the other hand, it showcases the winger’s attitude of enjoying himself when he steps onto the pitch. There have been occasions where Leão has started some games as a striker. Starting as a striker allows the Portuguese to use his physicality to bully defenders.

Rafael Leão: Dribbling

The AC Milan wide man is one of the most effective dribbles in Europe, ranking in the 96 percentile for successful take-on. AC Milan’s superstar also ranks in the 89 percentile for progressive carries. As previously stated, the winger’s game has similarities to Marcus Rashford and Kylian Mbappe. However, the difference in Leão’s game to the other two is that when he dribbles, there is power to his dribbling. While dribbling in football is about your technique, it is also about the power in your legs to carry the ball into the opposition penalty area.

Skills are also involved, but if you are not powerful, this skill must be magnificent enough to reach the top level. The difference with the AC Milan winger is that there is power in his play when he is dribbling. He can beat you with his skill but barrel through you if this doesn’t work.

Theirry Henry was similar, gliding past players at times with his size alone. The Portuguese size allows him to take big strides and knock the ball past the defender easily. Think of someone with the size of Yaya Toure and the skill of Thierry Henry. Is Leão not at the level of these players yet, but his physical advantages mean he could reach those levels.

Maturity

At 25, AC Milan’s sensational superstar is already a leader in the squad, and at his age, this is an impressive feat. Having maturity as a player means being effective off and on the pitch. In games, the winger rarely makes the wrong decision; he never passes when he should shoot and vice-versa. Leão’s decision-making in front of goal is excellent, which translates to setting up chances for his teammates. The attacker’s ranking of 89 percentile in assists shows how adept he is at helping out his teammates.

I used Rashford and Mbappe to compare Leão’s playing style, but one criticism you could level at these two is their selfishness. Whilst both are exceptional, one could see the argument of the two playing for themselves. With Rafael Leão, you don’t get this. He is a player who will sacrifice his own game for the team’s good.

This is one reason why you do see him playing in different positions. This trait already shows that he is undoubtedly a Champions League-level player.

Rafael Leão has shown how good he is over these last few years. Undoubtedly, he will continue to show this in the coming years. Vinicius or Mbappe has not yet mentioned him, but he is on his way. If Leao can increase his output, you have an elite attacker.

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