Maycon Cardozo, 17, made his Bundesliga debut for Bayern in the victory against Borussia Mönchengladbach (4-1) this Friday. The winger, who holds dual nationality, Brazilian and Portuguese, has shown remarkable progress, recently solidified by a long-term contract renewal with the German champions. The young talent was brought on by Vincent Kompany in the 74th minute, replacing former FC Porto player Luis Díaz to strong applause from the crowd. Wearing number 49, Cardozo positioned himself on the left wing and was active from his first touch, continuing the good performances he had been delivering in training. Fearlessly, he took on numerous one-on-one situations, forcing opponents to foul him to stop his progress. At the end of the match, a smile was plastered on his face. "When I entered the locker room after the game, everyone congratulated me on my debut," he said, beaming. "I am very happy and proud of myself." The forward's journey to this point is noteworthy. Born in São Paulo, Brazil, he spent most of his childhood in Thailand, where his father Douglas—who has Portuguese roots—was also a professional player. It was there that he took his first steps in football, progressing through various youth teams at the STB Sports Thai Bavaria Academy, an academy that closely collaborates with Bayern. His qualities earned him a spot in the Global Academy, Bayern's international U-18 team, and later in the U-19 World Squad project. Roy Makaay, a club legend and his coach at the time, recalls his arrival: "He only joined us in the last four weeks of the 2024 World Squad, recommended by the Global Academy due to another player's serious injury." Despite being only 15 years old and younger than most, his talent was undeniable. "Maycon played three games in the USA and two in Germany for the World Squad. That was enough for us to recommend him to the Campus management," praised the Dutchman. After a trial period with the U-17s, Cardozo secured a contract with Bayern. His rise faced a temporary setback due to a shoulder injury, but after recovery, he quickly reintegrated. In the summer, he transitioned to the U-19s and by the end of last year, he began to be regularly called up by Vincent Kompany to train with the first team. His senior debut came on January 6, in a friendly against Red Bull Salzburg (5-0), where he entered in the 89th minute. Since the beginning of this year, Cardozo has been an important player for FC Bayern's B team, becoming a permanent member of the squad since the winter break. He started in the first two games of the year, against Sp Vgg Unterhaching (1-0) and Sp Vgg Hankofen-Hailing (2-0), impressing with his creativity and assertiveness on the left wing, despite his short stature (1.65 m). Makaay, who continues to follow his progress, highlights his evolution. "You can clearly see how he has developed in a year at Bayern, especially physically. The training is extremely demanding and is paying off," he commented. The former forward believes that competing against adult players will help him progress. With his contract renewed, Cardozo continues on his path, focused on establishing himself in professional football and working hard to learn German. "Maycon has the will and talent to establish himself professionally. Where exactly his path will lead him, we will see soon," said Makaay. The player himself is already looking to the future: "We have to keep going and focus on the upcoming games." After David Santos Daiber, a Portuguese U-19 international born in Luxembourg and trained in Munich, who also played a few minutes in the match (coming on in the 81st minute for Kimmich), Kompany is introducing another player who may choose to represent the Portuguese national team in the future.
Maycon Cardozo Vincent Kompany remains central to this story.
Maycon Cardozo Vincent Kompany remains central to this story.
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