‘The two best people I have worked with’ -Dunkerque’s Luís Castro to be reunited with PSG duo | OneFootball

A place in the final of the Coupe de France is on offer when USL Dunkerque host Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night, whilst it is also a chance for Dunkerque manager Luís Castro to reunite with two players whose careers he forged.

Castro joined Ligue 2 side Dunkerque in October 2023 but prior to that, he had worked with Benfica’s youth side (2019-2022) and then the Portuguese club’s reserves (2022-23). During this time, he worked with Gonçalo Ramos, who joined PSG in the summer of 2023 and João Neves, who arrived at the start of the season.

Castro could not speak highly enough of the Portugal internationals ahead of the Coupe de France semi. “These are the two best people that I worked with in football, on a human and a professional level, so I am not surprised by their evolution,” he told reporters on Sunday.

Both Ramos and Neves flourished under Castro’s tutelage in Portugal before establishing themselves in the national team and then securing their big-money moves to the Parc des Princes. “Gonçalo worked more than others,” said the Dunkerque manager.

“What more can I say that you don’t already know? You see a video of him in a PSG match and you see in an instant that he is 200% connected with everyone,” added Castro, evoking Neves’ instant adaptation at PSG. Castro, however, will be hoping that his giant-killing Dunkerque will get the better of Les Parisiens on Tuesday night and book their place in the Coupe de France final.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle