It’s easy to forget Andreas Schelderup is 21 years young. The winger left Bodø/Glimt back in 2020, since then there have been games in Denmark and the Superliga with Nordsjælland, then Benfica, returning to Nordsjælland on loan, then back to the Portuguese big club this season – where football genius savage Jose Mourinho took over as coach. The last two months have been eventful for the young, Norwegian player, to say the least. On Sunday, Schelderup once again showed himself in front of the opponents’ goal.
In October 2025, Jose Mourinho, as the new Benfica coach, was already tired of the questions about Schelderup’s lack of playing time: “Schjelderup is Schjelderup. He struggles with that over 90 minutes, with the intensity and the sacrifice in the transitions,” Mourinho told A Bola.
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Then came the Champions League match against Real Madrid at the end of January. Here, Kylian Mbappé was as usual central for Real Madrid with two goals, but this time it was a Norwegian 21-year-old who stole the show. Two goals by Schelderup in the 4-2 win for Benfica, named player of the match.
After the game, Mourinho was again asked about the Norwegian.
– Schjelderup? There is talk and talk, but in the last four games he has played all of them. I think this Schjelderup is better than the one I met. He does things he didn’t do before,” Jose Mourinho said dryly, according to the Portuguese Record.
This Schelderup. Better than the one I met (last fall). Okay, but this is probably the closest Jose Mourinho has admitted he was wrong about a player.
On Sunday, this Schelderup was again in the right place at the right time and pushed in the 1-0 score against Alverca in the Liga Portugal, in the game that ended with a 2-1 win for Benfica.
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We think Mourinho has realized he needs Schelderup on the pitch. In the last four league games with the 21-year-old at the match arena, there have been three wins and one draw. In the Champions League, victory against the giant Real Madrid. Now two more games await against Mbappé and the gang in the CL playoffs. Then it’s good to have this Schelderup on the pitch, Mourinho.
