Young Eagle: Adler Nascimento

This week, Under-21s forward Adler Nascimento reflects on his journey from Peterborough United’s academy to Palace, overcoming a frustrating run of injuries and rediscovering his best form at the start of 2026/27.

It’s been quite a start to the season for Nascimento.

After scoring all five of Palace’s pre-season goals, the Portuguese forward has carried that form into the new campaign, registering five goals and two assists across his eight appearances so far.

His superb free-kick against Paris Saint-Germain in the Premier League International Cup opener earned a September Goal of the Month nomination, before he scored his first hat-trick for Palace in a 4-1 Premier League Two victory over Leeds United at the weekend.

“Obviously, it felt very good. It’s my first hat-trick for the club.

“I’ve had a lot of twos, never a three, though!

“I felt like I owed it to myself and also to Seb [Williams] to finish the chance he gave me, after I missed that first one in the first half.”

The treble marked another milestone for the 21-year-old whose progress has repeatedly been interrupted by injury. But his journey began with a simple love of football…

Nascimento joined his local team in Peterborough at around eight years old before signing for Peterborough United a year later. He spent seven years with the club, progressing into the Under-18s aged 15 and quickly establishing himself as a serial goalscorer.

His exploits included a brace in a 7-2 FA Youth Cup victory over Newmarket Town and a hat-trick against Leyton Orient. He also helped Peterborough retain the EFL Youth Alliance League title for a second successive season in 2020/21.

Yet, reflecting on those early years, it is the friendships and enjoyment of playing that stand out most.

“I don’t remember winning any trophies when I was younger. It was more just having fun.

“Nowadays, people put a lot of pressure on kids to get that contract or whatever. But at that age, just play, just be free, play as if you’re playing at the park. Just have fun.

“I didn’t know what a scholar was until I got it. I was just playing for the sake of playing football.”

That enjoyment was matched by a close-knit group of teammates, many of whom went to the same school as him.

“From Year 9 to Year 11, we all went to the same school. We all knew each other, so it wasn’t like I’d just been chucked into a group where I had no idea who anyone was.

“The second year we won the league, it came down to the final game. I ended up scoring the winner. I was the No.9, so I chipped the goalkeeper!

“It was a very good squad, very good people.”

Nascimento’s development soon brought an opportunity with Peterborough’s first team. With no U21s side at the club, the step from academy football to senior level was a direct one.

After impressing in reserve fixtures and making several matchday squads, he made his senior debut aged 16, replacing Frankie Kent for the final 16 minutes of a 4-1 victory over Doncaster Rovers on the last day of the 2020/21 League One season.

“I don’t really think about things too much, so I didn’t take it all in until afterwards. I was quite nervous before I came on, but before that I was fine.

“It was during COVID, so there were no fans in the stadium, but it was a very good experience and a very good learning curve.”

His performances attracted interest from several Premier League clubs, but Palace stood out. He joined the Eagles in the summer of 2021 on a scholarship with a pre-contract agreement, signing professional terms in January 2022.

“Palace was quite local, so it wasn’t too far from home. I liked the training ground and how everything worked around here. It was a no-brainer, really.

“It took time to get used to it, though. The style of play was very different. At that level, it can be more about playing the ball in the air and chasing it, whereas here it was much more on the floor.

“Joining Palace felt like a reward for what I’d done. It wasn’t like you get here and then it’s done, though. You’ve still got a long way to go.”

After making 18 appearances for the U18s in his maiden season, Nascimento made a strong start to 2022/23, earning a place on the first-team bench for the Carabao Cup fourth-round tie away to Newcastle United in November.

He made his U21s debut the following month and finished the campaign with seven goals in 17 U18 appearances.

The Newcastle experience offered another glimpse of the level he aspired to reach.

“I was training with the first team, and I knew they had a game the day after. I wasn’t meant to be travelling, but someone pulled out and I ended up in the squad.

“It was a very good stadium, very loud. You couldn’t hear anything when you were warming up! But I was more just taking it all in.”

Having progressed through the Academy and experienced senior football, Nascimento looked ready to take another step forward. Instead, injuries began to disrupt his momentum.

After a calf injury towards the end of 2022/23, he returned for pre-season, including Palace’s U21s tour to Salt Lake City. But a hamstring tear after just two matches of the 2023/24 campaign kept him out for much of the season.

“It was very difficult, especially as a young player. Something you love doing has been taken away from you, and it’s out of your hands. There’s nothing you can really do; you just have to get on with it.

“It was seven or eight months out of the game, and it wasn’t easy.”

Further setbacks followed in 2024/25, restricting him to eight appearances despite signing a contract extension in February 2025.

Throughout that period, his family provided crucial support.

“At the time, it just felt like I had really bad luck. It kept coming and going, and it was getting really frustrating.

“My family helped me a lot. They moved down for three years, so I was living with them during that period. Being around them and getting away from everything else helped me a lot.”

Nascimento returned determined to make the most of his opportunities in 2025/26, producing an early highlight in the EFL Trophy against Bromley with a spectacular swivelled strike from around 40 yards.

“It was a good bounce back, really. It was a reminder of what I can do, especially against a men’s team, which I wasn’t used to playing against.

“That was a very good experience and a very good moment.”

He also scored in the International Cup against Juventus, volleying home at the back post after a clever outside-of-the-boot assist from Dylan Reid.

However, injury again halted his progress during the second half of the campaign, limiting him to 15 appearances, two goals and four assists.

The repeated setbacks have taught him the importance of understanding his body and managing his workload.

“In my head, my ability was never the problem. It was always about being available.

“In football, your best ability is availability. If you’re not available to play, everything else is pointless.

“I know now that I can’t push it too much. If I do, it will just break down. You’ve got to know yourself before anybody else tells you what you should be doing. That’s what I’ve learned through that experience.”

The early signs in 2026/27 suggest those lessons are beginning to pay off. After scoring all five of Palace’s pre-season goals, Nascimento carried that form into competitive action, finding the net in a 2-0 win over Aston Villa before earning a Goal of the Month nomination for a spectacular free-kick against PSG.

Over the September-October international break, he also made his non-competitive senior debut, joining fellow Academy graduates Chuks Okoli and Amaari Sealey in the closing stages of the friendly against Bristol City.

“It was a very good experience. Being in and around the first team shows you where you want to be.

“It’s like a taste of where you want to go, so it’s always good to have that.”

Then came the hat-trick at Leeds, where Nascimento helped the Young Eagles turn a difficult first 20 minutes into an emphatic 4-1 victory.

For a player who had previously scored twice in games but never managed three for Palace, it was a particularly satisfying achievement. He was also quick to credit the team spirit within Darren Powell’s U21s squad for helping him and his teammates thrive.

“I feel good. Off the pitch, it’s a very, very good group of people. It’s one of the best groups I’ve had.

“We have a very good team, and we all get on. We’re all very good friends on and off the pitch, and I think that helps a lot, not just me but everyone.

“Everyone runs for each other. We all fight for each other, and that really does help.”

After several seasons in which injuries have interrupted his progress, Nascimento is focused on staying fit, continuing to develop and making the most of the opportunities ahead.

“I want to do the best I can for my career, really. Just keep developing.”

You can watch Adler in action when our U21s take on Southampton in Premier League Two on Monday, 26th October (KO: 19:00 BST) LIVE on Palace TV+!