Carter, 23, has been with 3rd division Trofense for 18 months and last week completed a meteoric rise, signing a four and half year contract with Portuguese giants Benfica.

The Australian striker left Melbourne when he was 16 and his journey to Benfica included three years in Italy with Vicenza and Parma, then three years with Cluj in Romania.

But his time with Trofense has been the most fruitful period of Carter’s career and his stand out 2016-17 campaign saw the 6ft 4in striker score 21 goals.  

Benfica scouts took notice and rewarded Carter's performances with the opportunity of a lifetime, so it's not surprising the 23 year-old was buzzing about what the future holds.

“It’s amazing, it’s like a dream come true to be part of a club like this, so I’m really happy to be here,” he said speaking to FourFourTwo via his new base in Lisbon.

“It’s always been my dream to be a professional level and to play at the highest level.”

After making his professional debut with Cluj in 2015/16 season, Carter then found himself on the outer, but the Aussie youngster said making the move to Portugal's third tier has paid off.

“It was the best decision of my life to go to Trofense," he said.

"I knew that in this point in my career – it wasn’t do or die, but it was my chance to really show myself.

“The club really showed a lot of belief in me and that is what really made everything happen.

“Now to sign with Benfica, I took three steps back and now two steps forward and it’s amazing and I just can’t wait to get working and play games for this club.”

Carter will be playing in the Portuguese second division with Benfica’s B-team, but upon arriving in January he was able to rub shoulders with some of the best players in the world.

“Training with Benfica has been really amazing,” he said.

“I am now part of the B-team because I am still young, but I have also trained with the first team as well, which has been really amazing as many of their players have been playing in the Champions League.

“Seeing the Captain Luisão was amazing, just to be able to play and train with and play against him was incredible.”

While Carter is happy to prove himself in the Portuguese second division the 23-year-old is aiming to make Benfica’s first tier squad.

“That’s the main goal is to perform well in the B-team and hopefully to get opportunity to get in Benfica’s main squad with a bit of time and work to adapt I think I can make it,” he said.

“The club has brought me here to play so I know the coach likes me so things will start off well.

 “Just to be part of the club means you have everything you could want as footballer.

“You have top class facilities, you have the right environment, you have top players. It’s such a massive club.

"I really want to make the A-team and I will work really hard to get there."