BEST PAL Inside the incredible rise of Fulham’s ‘Iron Man’ Joao Palhinha and how transfer to Premier League benefitted old side

JOAO PALHINHA stood out immediately at Sacavenense - and not just because of his height.

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No midfielder in Europe’s five big leagues has won more tackles than the 6ft 3in Fulham star this season.

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And to this day, very few Portuguese youngsters have the same appetite for destruction that the teenage Palhinha showed.

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Carlos Saque, Sacavenense’s vice-president of football, said: “Kids in Portugal don’t want to be known as a good tackler.

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From day one, Joao impressed us with that ability to steal the ball from opponents.

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