From KFC to the EPL: New Everton signing Beto dreams of playing for Portugal alongside Cristiano Ronaldo after remarkable rise

It really has been a remarkable rise to prominence, and it's nearly all down to Beto's impressive work ethic and unwavering self-belief. The Lisbon native's potential had been obvious from a young age and his family and coaches at Tires told him he was similar in style to Barcelona and Inter icon Samuel Eto'o.

"They said I had to choose the No.9 jersey because I was so like him, but I didn't know him at first as I didn't watch my football as a kid," he admits. "But later I went looking for videos of him and he became my idol. I liked his game, so he was the first player I impersonated!"

Indeed, he even began spelling his name 'Beto'o' – as a tribute to his hero.

However, unlike Eto'o, who was discovered by Real Madrid at just 16, Beto was no child prodigy. He had been signed by Benfica at 12, but was released after just one season with the club he had supported as a child.

Such a setback would have devastated many kids, but Beto learned a lot from the experience. It made him realise how much he would have to improve to realise his dream.. "I met so many great coaches, players and people there but, honestly, I saw that I wasn't yet prepared or ready to play football at that level," he explains. "I was, of course, a little disappointed when they let me go but then I went back to Tires play with my friends, close to home, so that helped me recover and develop."

Beto freely admits that being let go by Benfica may have been a blessing in disguise. Having to work his way up from the bottom taught him the value of money and is arguably the reason why he remains so grounded. He certainly hasn't forgotten where he's come from, given he still has friends working at KFC.

Besides, it's not as if he was suddenly catapulted into the spotlight after becoming a regular in the Tires first team. It was only after he signed for Olimpico Montijo in 2018 that his career really began to take off.

Beto scored 21 goals in what proved his one and only season with the third-tier outfit, earning himself a move to Primeira Liga side Portimonense. Even then, though, Beto had to bid his time. He made just 11 appearances in his first season in the top-flight, and failed to find the back of the net once.

In 2020-21, though, Beto broke out, finishing as Portimonense's top scorer, with 11 goals. There was talk of a summer switch to one of Portugal's 'Big Three' – Benfica, Sporting CP and Porto – but he ended up moving abroad, joining Udinese on loan with an obligation to buy for €7 million ($6m/$7.5m).

The Friuli are renowned as one of the canniest operators in the transfer market, particularly when it comes to acquiring rough diamonds from outside Italy, but Beto is now regarded as one of the best bargain buys in the club's history.

Despite seeing his first sensational season cruelly curtailed by an injury, he ended up scoring 21 goals in 61 Serie A appearances - which was no mean feat for a struggling side.

Beto was driven by a determination to repay the club and its supporters for the way in which they both welcomed and looked after him. His primary objective was to do so in goals, but it was clear long before the end of his second season at the Dacia Arena that he was also destined to earn Udinese a significant profit on their initial investment in his services.

Everton did their utmost to sign him in January, with Udinese turning down "a very big offer" for the forward. "It's true that I was close to leaving," he reveals. "The two teams talked but nothing happened in the end. I just had to focus on football because Udinese weren't doing well during that period either, so it was better not to think too much about the transfer market."

The rumours never stopped swirling, though. There was even talk of a transfer to Napoli, who were said to be looking for a quality understudy for star striker Victor Osimhen.

However, Everton continued to struggle to find a new No.9, and their need for reinforcement up top was made even more pressing after another injury for Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Consequently, it came as little surprise to see the Merseysiders finally agree a deal with Udinese for Beto just before the close of the summer transfer window, with Everton set to pay £25 million ($31.5m) to bring him to Goodison Park.

Beto has stated all along that his dream is to play in the Champions League, and while that could take a while at Goodison Park, it shouldn't be long before he's testing himself against the game's top talents at international level.

GOAL understands that Beto was very close to being called up for the start of Portugal's Euro 2024 qualification campaign but missed out because of new manager Roberto Martinez's desire to remain loyal to those who represented the country at the 2022 World Cup. However, the Spaniard is expected to introduce more new players in the coming months, and Beto is believed to be near the top of the list.

"I know they're following me now," Beto says, "but I mustn't think too much about the national team. I'm close, yes, I was already called up for the preliminary squad for the World Cup. So, if I keep doing well for my club, they'll call me."

Certainly, if he starts scoring goals in the Premier League, Martinez is likely to pick up the phone very soon. So, could the guy who once worked at KFC end up partnering Cristiano Ronaldo in the Portugal attack at Euro 2024?

"Maybe this is too big a dream, even for me," Beto says, laughing, "but anything is possible!" In fairness, he's proven that already.