Benfica

Benfica, is a Portuguese women's football team based in Lisbon that plays in the Campeonato Nacional Feminino, the top-level women's football league in Portugal, following promotion in the 2018–19 season. The club was found in 2017.

Signature Fun Facts

What makes Benfica what it is.

Despite developing as a centre-back and defensive midfielder, Simões scored an impressive 17 goals in 40 Benfica appearances in 2021/22, when she was just 14.

She signed with the Houston Dash at just 17, making her the youngest player in club history and the youngest African American to enter the NWSL.

More Fun Facts

Quirky facts from the Benfica squad.

She didn’t expect to play in her first pro game, but the coach called her in with the words, “Welcome to the big leagues, kid.”

Zoey Matthews' great-grandfather, Chairman Jones, was the first Black chairman of schools in North Carolina and has a movie about his legacy. She takes pride in being the first Black female to debut for the Houston Dash, honoring the generations before her while inspiring those to come.