https://www.slbenfica.pt/pt-pt/agor...sub-23-jogo-particular-vilafranquense-benfica Started on the bench for the u23s in a pre-season friendly. They lost 1-2. Unclear from Google Translate if they had a mass sub in the 2nd half, but all goals came in the 2nd half.
Looks like he's with the u19s for the season. He started for them on Saturday in a 3-2 win over Vitoria's u19s: http://resultados.fpf.pt/Match/GetMatchInformation?matchId=1261339 Worth noting that the starting keeper for the u23s was also born in August 2000, so I'd guess that CJ lost the u23 spot to him.
I'm pretty sure all of Benfica's U20 gks have spent time/are currently in the mix with Portugal's national youth teams. It sounds like dos Santos is (1) in really good company (2) holding his own if Benfica is giving him the time of day in lieu of other PYNT gks.
It'll be worth keeping an eye on Benfica's UEFA Youth League fixture tomorrow, as CJ is on their roster: https://www.uefa.com/uefayouthleague/season=2019/clubs/club=2605455/index.html Most likely Celton Biai will start over him, but since Celton is with the u23s they might give CJ a run out.
On the bench for UEFA Youth League: Die Aufstellungen für das @UEFAYouthLeague-Spiel der #FCBU19 bei Benfica Lissabon. #packmas #SLBFCB #UYL #FCBayernCampus pic.twitter.com/iIyR5Ly43A— FC Bayern Campus (@fcbayerncampus) September 19, 2018
CJ graduated from high school today: Turned in my last exam last night & finished high school in 🇺🇸Celebrated w my bros @keaton_parks & Vinicius Thank you to Apex Online School in Seattle 4 working w me. I promised my parents I would b an intellect as well as an athlete.I WILL continue 2 work to fulfill that promise pic.twitter.com/PV0hYEGOEs— CJ dos Santos (@cj_dos_santos) October 9, 2018
On the bench for UEFA Youth League: 💺 Subs: CJ dos Santos, Luís Pinheiro, Alexandre Penetra, Francisco Saldanha, Ronaldo Camará, Rodrigo Conceição and Luís Lopes. pic.twitter.com/id4tpW0TaD— SL Benfica (@slbenfica_en) October 23, 2018
On the bench for UEFA Youth League: Die Aufstellungen für das @UEFAYouthLeague-Spiel der #FCBU19 gegen Benfica Lissabon am #FCBayernCampus. #packmas #FCBSLB #UYL pic.twitter.com/UuP3vIvOJh— FC Bayern Campus (@fcbayerncampus) November 27, 2018
CJ dos Santos starts in the UYL for Benfica. First time playing in the competition! 👐🇺🇸 https://t.co/jGUdMp55om— Daniel (@DanielSmith1022) December 12, 2018
CJ keeps a clean sheet as the game ends 3-0. I didn't watch the game, so I'm not sure if CJ was all that busy, but still, awesome to see him get some minutes in a competition that Benfica takes pretty seriously.
Everybody Soccer 23 American Goalkeepers Under 23 (May 2019) pic.twitter.com/5weDGL5ePO— Everybody Soccer (@letsallsoccer) May 8, 2019
Portuguese🇵🇹 ⚽️ newspapers showing love today. 👊🏽💪🏽💯 Now it's time to come together 🇺🇸⚽️Let's gooooo🇺🇸🔴⚪️🔵 @USYNT pic.twitter.com/g8FHTYeSII— CJ dos Santos (@cj_dos_santos) May 27, 2019
Also good to point out the context. Benfica, who were instrumental in producing Ederson and Jan Oblak, is also featuring two Portuguese YNTs (Dylan Silva + Celton Biai), another 19 y.o they've had 2012 (Diogo Garrido), and another gk they just brought in this year (Guilherme Fernandes). This isn't just any 19 year old playing with a U23 team. Also if dos Santos plays well enough, he may be courted by more than one nation : /
Benfica tends to treat its u23 team as an accelerated u20 team. No player in yesterdays starting line-up was over 19. The "real" u23 team is Benfica B, where both Celton Biai and Garrido are currently listed. I think we'll find out more about where CJ stands when UEFA Youth League starts up, as CJ, Biai, and Garrido are all age-eligible for that competition. Benfica has a real glut of promising keepers: Zlobin, Mile Svilar, Biai, and Garrido are all under 23 and quite good.
Right, I was more remarking on his peers at the club, not the jump in age. But all that is correct : )