Fernando Varela (Cape Verdean footballer)

Fernando Varela
Varela playing for PAOK in 2017
Personal information
Full name Fernando Lopes dos Santos Varela
Date of birth (1987-11-26) 26 November 1987
Place of birth Cascais, Portugal
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position Defender
Club information
Current team
 PAOK
Number 5
Youth career
1996–2004 AFD Torre
2004–2006 Estoril
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2008 Estoril 29 (1)
2006–2007 → Rio Maior (loan) 21 (3)
2009–2011 Trofense 50 (2)
2011–2012 Feirense 30 (2)
2012–2013 Vaslui 37 (1)
2013–2016 Steaua București 82 (10)
2016– PAOK 51 (2)
National team‡
2008– Cape Verde 46 (3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 12 May 2018
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 14 November 2017

Fernando Lopes dos Santos Varela (born 26 November 1987) is a Cape Verdean professional footballer who plays for Greek club PAOK FC and the Cape Verde national team mainly as a central defender.

Club career

Portugal

Born in Cascais, Varela started playing professionally with G.D. Estoril Praia in the second division, being loaned to lowly U.D. Rio Maior for one year during his spell. In January 2009 he moved to C.D. Trofense, as the northern club was playing for the first time in the Primeira Liga; he managed to appear regularly during the season, but they were relegated.

In the 2011 summer, after two additional second level seasons with Trofense, Varela signed for C.D. Feirense, returned to the top flight after a 22-year absence. In the following campaign he played in all league games as a starter, notably scoring twice against S.L. Benfica on 28 January 2012 (one in his own net) in an eventual 1–2 loss where he also committed a penalty,[1] and his team would again drop down a tier.

Romania

Varela in action for Steaua București in 2015

On 29 May 2012, Varela signed a three-year contract with Romanian side FC Vaslui.[2] On 3 September of the following year he joined FC Steaua București also from Liga I, after agreeing to a three-year deal for a €1.25 million transfer fee.[3]

At the end of 2014–15, Málaga CF showed interest in acquiring Varela, but Steaua rejected the Spaniards' €6 million offer.[4] He appeared in 47 games across all competitions, in an eventual double conquest.

PAOK

On 23 July 2016, Varela, who had less than six months left on his contract, moved to the Superleague Greece with PAOK FC, for three years and a €1.4 million fee.[5] He scored his first goal in the 2017–18 season on 12 February 2018, heading home in a 3–0 win against Athlitiki Enosi Larissa F.C. at the Toumba Stadium.[6]

International career

Varela with Cape Verde in December 2013

Portuguese-born, Varela opted to represent Cape Verde internationally, his debut coming in 2008. On 24 May 2010, he appeared in a friendly in Covilhã with Portugal – which was preparing for the FIFA World Cup in South Africa – playing the entire match as the minnows (ranked 117th) managed a 0–0 draw.[7]

The Blue Sharks were disqualified from the 2014 World Cup when it was revealed that Varela had played in a qualifying match against Tunisia, despite not completing a four-match suspension for a red card he had received against Equatorial Guinea on 24 March 2013.[8] That game was later rendered invalid by FIFA as a result of Equatorial Guinea fielding ineligible Emilio Nsue, but Varela's disciplinary record stood.[9]

Career statistics

Club

As of 14 August 2018[10]
Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
SeasonClubLeague AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
Portugal League Taça de Portugal Taça da Liga Europe Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira Total
2005–06EstorilSegunda Liga0010--10
2006–07Rio MaiorPortuguese Second Division21320-233
2007–08EstorilSegunda Liga1801010-200
2008-091112041-172
TrofensePrimeira Liga11100-111
2009–10Segunda Liga1200010-130
2010–112711000-281
2011–12FeirensePrimeira Liga3021021-333
RomaniaLiga ICupa RomânieiCupa LigiiEuropeSupercupa RomânieiTotal
2012–13VasluiLiga I32100-41-362
2013–145000-50
Steaua Bucureşti2346120315
2014–15303302011010473
2015–1629340105110404
GreeceSuperleagueGreek Cup--Europe-Total
2016–17PAOKSuperleague Greece24170-80-391
2017–182716040371
2018–1900004141
Total Portugal Estoril 2914051--382
Rio Maior 2132000--233
Trofense 5021010--522
Feirense 3021021--333
Total 13088082--14610
Romania Vaslui 37100-41-412
Steaua Bucureşti 8210131301812011812
Total 11911131302222015914
Greece PAOK 512130-161-803
Total 5121300016100803
Career total 300203421123832038527

International goals

#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.4 September 2010Várzea, Praia, Cape Verde Mali1–0Win2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
2.29 February 2012Mahamasina Municipal Stadium, Antananarivo, Madagascar Madagascar4–0Win2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
3.27 January 2013Nelson Mandela, Port Elizabeth, South Africa Angola2–1Win2013 Africa Cup of Nations
As of 15 November 2013[11]

Honours

Club

Steaua București

PAOK

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Benfica comeback sees off Feirense". PortuGOAL. 28 January 2012. Archived from the original on 4 May 2012. Retrieved 6 June 2012.
  2. ↑ "Varela no Vaslui até 2015" [Varela in Vaslui until 2015]. Record. 29 May 2012. Archived from the original on 14 March 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
  3. ↑ "Bine ai venit, Fernando Varela!" [Welcome, Fernando Varela!] (in Romanian). FC Steaua București. 3 September 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
  4. ↑ "Exclusiv! Pică transferul la Steaua? "Nu ne-am înţeles încă!"" [Exclusive! Pică transferred to Steaua? "We have not heard a thing!"]. Fanatik (in Romanian). 3 June 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  5. ↑ "Βαρέλα και επίσημα στον ΠΑΟΚ" [Varela officially in PAOK] (in Greek). Sport 24. 23 July 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  6. ↑ "Επίδειξη ισχύος, 3–0 ο ΠΑΟΚ την ΑΕΛ" [Power display, 3–0 from PAOK to AEL] (in Greek). Sport 24. 12 February 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  7. ↑ "Portugal held to 0–0 draw by Cape Verde". USA Today. 24 May 2010. Retrieved 28 June 2010.
  8. ↑ "Equatorial Guinea 0–3 Cape Verde Islands". FIFA. 24 March 2013. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  9. ↑ "FIFA bans Cape Verde from World Cup". Fox Sports. 12 September 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  10. ↑ "Fernando Varela". Soccerway. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
  11. ↑ "Fernando Varela – Matches". Soccerway. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
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