USMNT star Johnny Cardoso makes dream start to life at Real Betis as he lands La Liga honour for February exploits

The Brazilian midfielder, who made the leap from Internacional to Betis during the winter transfer window, has been enjoying a dream start to life in Spain. He scored his team's third goal in a recent 3-1 victory over Athletic Bilbao and had earlier bagged an assist as well in February during a 2-0 triumph over Cadiz. And now the 22-year-old has been recognised by La Liga for his efforts and was honoured with the U23 Player of the Month award for February.

Manuel Pellegrini, coach of Real Betis, lavished praise on Cardoso after his impressive performance against Athletic and told reporters: “He is very organised and intelligent. He needs to adapt to the league but from the first minute, he is performing very well.”

The victory over Athletic keeps Betis in contention for European football next season, as they are currently sitting in sixth place in the league table. Reflecting on his goal-scoring moment, Cardoso exuded confidence, stating that he had no doubts when the opportunity presented itself.

"When I saw the ball coming, I had no doubt to go for goal,” he said.

“I’m very happy. It still hasn’t sunk in yet but I’m just enjoying the moment with my team-mates. Our goal is Europe, we’ll make it happen.”

On the international stage, Cardoso has represented the US Men's National Team (USMNT) on nine occasions since his debut in 2020. His recent involvement in friendlies against Germany and Ghana highlights his importance to Gregg Berhalter's plans for the national team's future.

As Cardoso continues to thrive, both at club level with Real Betis and on the international stage with the USMNT, the future looks promising for the talented midfielder. He will be back in action against Atletico on Sunday in a La Liga encounter.