Fernando Varela (Cape Verdean footballer)
Cape Verdean footballer (born 1987)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fernando Lopes dos Santos Varela (born 26 November 1987) is a former professional footballer who played mainly as a centre-back. Born in Portugal, he represented Cape Verde internationally.
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Varela with PAOK in 2018 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Fernando Lopes dos Santos Varela[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 26 November 1987[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Cascais, Portugal | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Centre-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1996–2004 | AFD Torre | ||
| 2004–2006 | Estoril | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2006–2009 | Estoril | 28 | (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) |
| 2016–2022 | PAOK | 144 | (6) |
| 2022–2024 | Casa Pia | 51 | (1) |
| 2024–2025 | Alverca | 33 | (3) |
| Total | 476 | (29) | |
| International career | |||
| 2008–2019 | Cape Verde | 51 | (3) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Club career
Portugal
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Born in Cascais,[2] Varela started playing professionally with G.D. Estoril Praia in the Segunda Liga, 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.[2]
In the summer of 2011, after two additional second-tier seasons with Trofense, Varela signed for C.D. Feirense, returned to the top flight after a 22-year absence.[3] In the following campaign, he took part in all league games as a starter, notably scoring twice against S.L. Benfica on 28 January 2012 (one in his own net) in a 2–1 loss where he also committed a penalty,[4] and his team would again drop down a division.[5]
Romania
Varela signed a three-year contract with Romanian side FC Vaslui on 29 May 2012.[6] On 3 September of the following year, he joined FC Steaua București also from Liga I, agreeing to a three-year deal for a €1.25 million transfer fee.[7]
At the end of 2014–15, Málaga CF showed interest in acquiring Varela, but Steaua rejected the Spaniards' €6 million offer.[8] He appeared in 47 matches in all competitions as the double was won.[9][10]
PAOK
On 23 July 2016, Varela, who had less than six months left on his contract, moved to the Super League Greece with PAOK FC for three years and a €1.4 million fee.[11] He scored his first goal of 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.[12]
On 21 May 2019, Varela declined the club's offer to renew his link.[13] One week later, however, he agreed to extend it until June 2022.[14]
Casa Pia
The 34-year-old Varela went back to Portugal on 8 July 2022 after a decade away, on a deal at top-division Casa Pia AC.[15] He went to score twice from 60 appearances,[16] his first goal coming on 20 November that year in a 1–1 draw away to F.C. Paços de Ferreira in the group stage of the Taça da Liga[17] and the second the following 6 March to help the hosts defeat the same adversary 2–1 in the domestic league.[18]
Alverca
On 3 July 2024, the free agent Varela signed with F.C. Alverca.[19] On 16 May 2025, he scored in the 2–1 home victory over Portimonense S.C. from a corner kick as the club returned to the top tier 21 years later.[20]
Varela announced his retirement in July 2025.[21]
International career
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 – who were preparing for the FIFA World Cup in South Africa – playing the entire match as the minnows (ranked 117th) managed a 0–0 draw.[22]
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.[23] That game was later rendered invalid by FIFA as a result of Equatorial Guinea fielding ineligible Emilio Nsue, but Varela's disciplinary record stood.[24]
Personal life
Career statistics
Club
- As of 17 May 2024[26]
| Club performance | League | National Cup | League Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Season | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Rio Maior (loan) | 2006–07 | Segunda Divisão | 21 | 3 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | 23 | 3 | |||
| Estoril | 2005–06 | Segunda Liga | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2007–08 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 19 | 0 | ||||
| 2008–09 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | – | – | 17 | 2 | ||||
| Total | 28 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 1 | – | – | 37 | 2 | ||||
| Trofense | 2008–09 | Primeira Liga | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | 11 | 1 | |||
| 2009–10 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 13 | 0 | ||||
| 2010–11 | 27 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 28 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 50 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 52 | 2 | ||||
| Feirense | 2011–12 | Primeira Liga | 30 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | – | – | 33 | 3 | ||
| Vaslui | 2012–13 | Liga I | 32 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 | 1 | – | 36 | 2 | ||
| 2013–14 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | 5 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 37 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 | 1 | – | 41 | 2 | ||||
| Steaua București | 2013–14 | Liga I | 23 | 4 | 6 | 1 | – | 2 | 0 | – | 31 | 5 | ||
| 2014–15 | 30 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 3 | ||
| 2015–16 | 29 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 4 | ||
| Total | 82 | 10 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 118 | 12 | ||
| PAOK | 2016–17 | Super League Greece | 24 | 1 | 7 | 0 | – | 8 | 0 | – | 39 | 1 | ||
| 2017–18 | 26 | 1 | 6 | 0 | – | 4 | 0 | – | 36 | 1 | ||||
| 2018–19 | 27 | 2 | 4 | 0 | – | 12 | 1 | – | 43 | 3 | ||||
| 2019–20 | 28 | 1 | 5 | 1 | – | 4 | 0 | – | 37 | 2 | ||||
| 2020–21 | 23 | 1 | 3 | 0 | – | 10 | 1 | – | 36 | 2 | ||||
| 2021–22 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 | 0 | – | 22 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 144 | 6 | 25 | 1 | – | 44 | 2 | – | 213 | 9 | ||||
| Casa Pia | 2022–23 | Primeira Liga | 27 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | - | - | 31 | 2 | ||
| 2023–24 | 24 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | - | - | 29 | 0 | ||||
| Career total | 443 | 26 | 49 | 2 | 17 | 3 | 66 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 577 | 35 | ||
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition[26] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 4 September 2010 | Várzea, Praia, Cape Verde |  Mali | 1–0 | Win | 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 2. | 29 February 2012 | Mahamasina Municipal Stadium, Antananarivo, Madagascar |  Madagascar | 4–0 | Win | 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 3. | 27 January 2013 | Nelson Mandela, Port Elizabeth, South Africa |  Angola | 2–1 | Win | 2013 Africa Cup of Nations |
Honours
Steaua București
PAOK
Individual
