Richard Rios, wanted by a number of European clubs, will finally sign for Benfica. The Colombian midfielder said goodbye to the Palmeiras fans against Atletico Mineiro, a game he did not play in due to the agreement with the ‘Eagles’.
Colombian Richard Rios said goodbye to Palmeiras on Sunday, the club he joined in 2023 and is now leaving to join Benfica.
The farewell to the fans was at the Allianz Parque stadium in Sao Paulo, before the match between Palmeiras and Atletico Mineiro for the fifteenth round of the Brasileirao. The Colombian did not play in the match due to an agreement with the Portuguese club.
Richard Rios was given a standing ovation by the fans and then sat on the substitutes’ bench, next to Portuguese coach Abel Ferreira, who at the time asked for his signing.
The 25-year-old midfielder bids farewell as a true idol of Palmeiras, with whom he played a part in winning two Paulista Championships (2023 and 2024) and the 2023 Brasileirao.
The Colombian winger began his career in Colombian futsal and in 2018 he was signed by Flamengo, initially for the grassroots divisions of the Brazilian team.
Two years later he joined the first team, with which he made his debut on 27th September in a Brasileirao match against Palmeiras.
In 2021 he moved to Mexican football, where he played for Mazatlan, and a year later he was signed by Guarani, from where he arrived at Palmeiras in 2023.
After his arrival at the ‘Verdao’, he has been regularly called up to the Colombian national team, with which he is currently playing in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
Palmeiras have not disclosed the value of the deal with Benfica, which according to the Brazilian press has been in the region of €30 million.