Pele delight at full Inter debut

Midfielder keen to grasp first-team spot

Internazionale’s young Portuguese midfielder Pele has thanked his manager and team-mates, after making his first league start for the Nerazurri in midweek.

The under-21 international moved to the San Siro on a five-year deal from Vitoria Guimaraes in August, following an impressive showing for his country at the Youth World Cup in Canada earlier in the summer.

Although Pele made his debut for Inter in September against Sampdoria and has been involved in several match squads since, the starting berth in his side’s 3-0 win over Lazio on Wednesday was the first full appearance for the Porto-born midfielder.

“I got on fine on the pitch and my team-mates helped me do well,” he said after the match. “I thank the coach for giving me this chance. He congratulated me at the end of the end and told me I had done well.

“Now I have to continue to work hard and seriously to show I deserved this chance, and to repay the faith of those who wanted me here.

“Am I expecting the coach to continue to play me? I train every day to try to convince the coach to put me on the pitch, then it’s up to him to choose and I respect his decisions. But I am convinced I can do well.”

For his part, Mancini was positive when asked about Pele’s performance by reporters after the game, in which the 20-year-old Portuguese was withdrawn ten minutes from full time with the side already three goals up.

“Pele is very talented but he’s a youngster who has to grow a lot,” Mancini said. “I think he was a bit excited tonight but he still played a good match and this was important.”