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Petros Kausiyo in ALCOCHETE, Portugal

LEGENDS Football Academy teenagers were not only left in awe at being at a big institution like the Cristiano Ronaldo Academy, but immediately got lessons on what professionalism is about in the game, moments after arriving at the centre.

The Zimbabwean outfit, headed by their coach Farai Dhliwayo, flew into Lisbon on Saturday night but began their official tour of Sporting Lisbon’s Cristiano Ronaldo Academy yesterday following an hour-long drive to a secluded place in Alcochete, on the outskirts of the Portuguese capital.

Sporting Lisbon, together with Benfica and FC Porto are among the giants of Portuguese football, who are regular campaigners in the UEFA Champions League and Europa League.

Legends Academy are on a week-long training and assessment camp, during which Dhliwayo’s teenagers will be under the guidance and scrutiny of the Sporting Lisbon development coaches.

Two of the Sporting Lisbon development coaches — Academy project director Pedro Margado and player support and liaison manager Miguel Pereira were on hand to welcome the likes of Adisa Chiganiwa, Preston Steblecki, Darrell Muusha, Tendai Kaseke and Hermish Charlie, who are part of the Legends entourage.

Pereira then took the Zimbabwean delegation on a guided tour of the academy complex before they underwent a lunch break and got down to the business of their visit to Portugal — football training.

He spoke of the proud history of the club and the academy, which has produced a host of Portuguese  greats, current and former including Bruno Fernandes, Luis Figo and Ronaldo.

“When you are in the academy, you are one of us. You have the same rights and duties as Sporting Lisbon players.

“But you can’t go to the main team’s side of the academy . . . it is forbidden to our youth team players ,” said Pereira in his welcoming remarks.

“Our coaches will coordinate the practices. Parents cannot have access to the training sessions.

“When you are in an academy you need to learn to be patient.

“It is not every player who develops at the same time.

“For you to get there you need to work hard.

“You need to work and wait for your opportunity.

“Let’s focus . . . our players here at Sporting Lisbon play in a notch higher, if you are Under-15 you play with the Under-17 and that is why a lot of our Under-17 players are in the B team and play in the Portuguese third division,” Pereira said.

Emphasis during the Legends stay here will be as much on training as it will be about their off field discipline.

Pereira took them through the house rules and lessons life as a football player that have ensured that the likes of Ronaldo have remained disciplined enough to be still playing at the highest level at the age of 37. Today the Legends Academy players will see the training getting more intense with two sessions.

This comes after Dhliwayo gave them time off to relax and recover at a beach in Lisbon on Sunday following two days of travelling from Harare via Lusaka and Dubai.