Cristian Ponde
Portuguese footballer (born 1995)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cristian Ioan Ponde (born 26 January 1995) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for Liga I club Unirea Slobozia.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Cristian Ioan Ponde[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 26 January 1995[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Făurești, Romania | ||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Unirea Slobozia | ||
| Number | 20 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2002–2005 | Olhanense | ||
| 2005–2014 | Sporting CP | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2013–2018 | Sporting CP B | 88 | (14) |
| 2015 | Sporting CP | 0 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | → Covilhã (loan) | 29 | (6) |
| 2018–2019 | Karpaty Lviv | 32 | (7) |
| 2020–2021 | Grasshoppers | 28 | (5) |
| 2021–2024 | Farense | 73 | (15) |
| 2024–2025 | Marítimo | 7 | (0) |
| 2025 | → Feirense (loan) | 12 | (2) |
| 2026– | Unirea Slobozia | 11 | (2) |
| International career | |||
| 2011–2012 | Portugal U17 | 9 | (1) |
| 2012–2013 | Portugal U18 | 10 | (2) |
| 2013–2014 | Portugal U19 | 10 | (8) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 27 April 2026 | |||
Club career
Born in Făurești, Maramureș County, Romania, Ponde emigrated to Portugal with his parents before his 10th birthday, and started playing football with S.C. Olhanense.[2][3][4] In 2005, he joined Sporting CP to complete his development.[5]
Ponde made his senior debut with the club's reserves on 24 February 2013, coming on as a substitute for fellow youth graduate Ricardo Esgaio for the final 14 minutes of a 5–1 home win against S.C. Freamunde in the Segunda Liga.[6] He scored his first goal as a professional on 30 March of that year, but in a 1–3 home loss to S.L. Benfica B.[7]
On 2 March 2014, during a second-tier game against S.C. Covilhã, Ponde contracted a serious injury to his right knee, going on to be sidelined for several months.[8] His only competitive appearance for the first team took place on 21 January 2015, when he played three minutes in a 3–2 defeat at C.F. Os Belenenses in the group stage of the Taça da Liga.[9]
For the 2016–17 season, Ponde was loaned to Covilhã.[10] He then took his game to the Ukrainian Premier League, where he represented FC Karpaty Lviv after signing a three-year contract.[11] He scored his first top-flight goal on 28 October 2018, contributing to the 5–0 away victory over FC Chornomorets Odesa.[12]
Ponde joined Grasshopper Club Zurich on 25 August 2020, on a one-year deal.[13] He returned to the Portuguese second division in summer 2021, agreeing to a one-year contract with the option of a further one at S.C. Farense.[14] He scored six goals in the 2022–23 campaign, adding six assists in a return to the Primeira Liga after a two-year absence.[15]
Ponde's first match in the top flight took place on 12 August 2023, replacing Elves Baldé at half-time of a 0–3 home loss against Casa Pia AC.[16] He scored his first league goal the following 18 May, but in a 1–3 home defeat to Portimonense S.C. in the Algarve derby.[17]
On 29 August 2024, Ponde signed with second-tier club C.S. Marítimo.[18] In the following transfer window, he was loaned to C.D. Feirense of the same league until the end of the season;[19] in July 2025, he left the former by mutual agreement.[20]
Aged 31, Ponde returned to his birth nation halfway through the 2025–26 campaign, on a contract at Liga I side AFC Unirea Slobozia.[21]
International career
Career statistics
- As of 27 April 2026[24]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup[a] | League Cup[b] | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Sporting CP B | 2012–13 | Segunda Liga | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 5 | 1 | ||||
| 2013–14 | 21 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 21 | 1 | ||||||
| 2014–15 | 11 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 11 | 2 | ||||||
| 2015–16 | LigaPro | 33 | 6 | — | — | — | — | 33 | 6 | |||||
| 2016–17 | 18 | 4 | — | — | — | — | 18 | 4 | ||||||
| Total | 88 | 14 | — | — | — | — | 88 | 14 | ||||||
| Sporting CP | 2014–15 | Primeira Liga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| Covilhã (loan) | 2016–17 | LigaPro | 29 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 6 | ||
| Karpaty Lviv | 2018–19 | Ukrainian Premier League | 21 | 6 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 2[c] | 1 | 26 | 8 | ||
| 2019–20 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 12 | 1 | |||||
| Total | 32 | 7 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 1 | 38 | 9 | ||||
| Grasshopper | 2020–21 | Swiss Challenge League | 28 | 5 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 30 | 6 | |||
| Farense | 2021–22 | Liga Portugal 2 | 29 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 7 | ||
| 2022–23 | 30 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 8 | ||||
| 2023–24 | Primeira Liga | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 1 | |||
| Total | 73 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 84 | 16 | ||||
| Marítimo | 2024–25 | Liga Portugal 2 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 0 | ||
| Feirense (loan) | 2024–25 | Liga Portugal 2 | 12 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 12 | 2 | ||||
| Unirea Slobozia | 2025–26 | Liga I | 11 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 11 | 2 | ||||
| Career total | 280 | 51 | 14 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 305 | 55 | ||
- Includes Taça de Portugal, Ukrainian Cup, Swiss Cup
- Includes Taça da Liga
- Appearances in Ukrainian Premier League relegation play-offs
Honours
Grasshoppers
