Eduardo Carmo: Portugal's padel prospect

At just 15 years of age, Eduardo Carmo already ranks among the biggest rising prospects in Portuguese padel. The national U16 number one and 13th in the FIP Promises ranking is pursuing a clear goal: keep improving, gain international experience and, in the long run, break into the world elite. In conversation, he describes his path from a late start to his first successes at junior level.

A late discovery, an early passion

Carmo came to padel comparatively late. At nine or ten, he accompanied his father and his father's friends to a club and tried the court for the first time. What began as curiosity quickly became a lasting bond with the sport. The young Portuguese player recalls that his father was playing with three or four friends and that he simply wanted to join in. From the first attempt he enjoyed the game, the pace and the closeness to the ball. Since then he has not left the courts and has steadily expanded his training.

National leadership and FIP Promises ranking

Eduardo Carmo is currently Portugal's number one among under-16 players and sits 13th in the international FIP Promises ranking. He links that status with pride and ambition at the same time. He is glad about what he has achieved, but does not treat it as an endpoint. Instead he wants to keep training, improve his ranking and close the gap to the next level. For his age the record already looks remarkable, yet Carmo sees it more as a checkpoint on a longer journey.

His training takes place in his hometown of Aveiro. There he works with his coach on technique, tactics and match toughness. Seven to eight hours a week form the core of his preparation. That rhythm lets him balance school and sporting development while regularly competing in international events. The mix of local routine and global competition shapes both his calendar and his learning curve.

National colours and Euro Juniors in Porto

Despite his young age, Carmo has already represented Portugal at major junior competitions, including the Euro Juniors held in Porto. He describes the national shirt as both an honour and a duty. He wants to represent his country as well as possible and draws special motivation from that. Among his strongest memories are the win against Sweden and reaching the top four teams of the tournament. Those moments show how early he had to take responsibility in decisive matches.

Three FIP Promises titles and fresh momentum

After a more difficult previous season, Carmo has found the right path again in the current campaign. Three titles on the FIP Promises circuit underline the upswing. He himself talks about a strong start and about a previous year that did not always reflect their true level. What mattered was continuing to work and making progress visible. The consistency of his results now confirms his growing stature within his generation.

At FIP Promises Paris, Carmo discovered France for the first time. He enjoyed the trip for the atmosphere and for meeting players from other countries. He hopes to return later — then also on holiday. Such tournaments mean more to him than results alone: they broaden his outlook, create direct comparisons and make the international character of junior padel tangible. That exchange in particular fuels his ambition.

Eyes on the CUPRA FIP Tour and the top 10

In the medium term, Eduardo Carmo wants to gather more experience on the CUPRA FIP Tour, travel and build routine in the international calendar. His long-term dream is clear: break into the world top 10. After that, he says, they will see how far the road can still go. The ambition is big, but tied to concrete intermediate steps. Carmo thinks in stages — from the junior circuit through international tour experience to the world elite.

As a role model he names Arturo Coello without hesitation. In the Spanish top player he values work ethic and career path. The example is not mere idolisation, but a benchmark for commitment and continuity. Carmo's comments reflect a generation that thinks professionally early and links results with a will to learn.

What currently defines his path

• National leadership among U16 players in Portugal
• 13th place in the FIP Promises ranking
• Three titles on the FIP Promises circuit this season
• Regular training in Aveiro with seven to eight hours per week
• International experience with the Portuguese junior national team

Eduardo Carmo thus exemplifies the rise of Portuguese youth padel. He combines early passion with structured training, national success with international appearances, and personal ambition with team pride. At 15 he already has a clear idea of his future: keep progressing, gather tournament experience and establish himself step by step among the best players of his generation — before aiming even higher.