Franculino Djú
Bissau-Guinean footballer (born 2004)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Franculino Gluda Djú (born 28 June 2004) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for Danish Superliga club Midtjylland and the Guinea-Bissau national team.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Franculino Gluda Djú | ||
| Date of birth | 28 June 2004 | ||
| Place of birth | Bissau, Guinea-Bissau | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Midtjylland | ||
| Number | 7 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2019 | Olivais e Moscavide | ||
| 2019–2023 | Benfica | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2023– | Midtjylland | 73 | (39) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2023– | Guinea-Bissau | 14 | (1) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 14 April 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 8 September 2025 | |||
Club career
Early years
Born in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau, Franculino Djú was raised in Portugal, where he began his youth career with Olivais e Moscavide before joining the academy of Benfica in 2019.[1] On 7 August 2020, he signed his first professional contract with the club.[2]
On 10 September 2022, Franculino scored for Benfica's under-23 side in a 3–0 win over Mafra U23. FC Midtjylland vice sporting director Ove Pedersen attended the match and was impressed by the young forward. He later learned that Franculino's contract with Benfica was due to expire at the end of the season.[3] On 2 February 2023, Midtjylland announced that Franculino would join the club after his Benfica contract expired at the end of the season.[4] Following the announcement in February 2023, Franculino no longer featured for Benfica and did not play another match before joining Midtjylland six months later.[3] He finished the 2022–23 season with 13 goals in 11 appearances for Benfica's under-23 side.[1]
Midtjylland
After playing youth football for Benfica, Franculino joined Midtjylland in July 2023,[4][1] following concerns that had emerged regarding his identity and legal age.[5] On 13 August 2023, he made his debut for the club against Vejle Boldklub in the Danish Superliga, where he also scored his first goal for the club in a 2–1 victory.[6] On 17 August, just four days later, he scored his first hat-trick in a UEFA Europa Conference League qualification match against Cypriot side Omonia.[7]
During the 2023–24 season, Franculino scored 17 goals in all competitions for Midtjylland. He also won the Danish Superliga with the club that season.[8] Franculino was also the highest-scoring teenager in European football during the 2023–24 season.[3]
On 19 December 2024, Franculino signed a contract extension with Midtjylland until 2029.[9] During the 2024–25 season, Franculino scored 16 goals in all competitions for Midtjylland. Midtjylland finished second in the Superliga that season.[10]
In August 2025, FC Midtjylland reportedly rejected a bid of around €30 million from a Saudi club for Franculino, which would have represented a record transfer fee for a Danish Superliga player.[11] During the first half of the 2025–26 season, Franculino scored 16 goals in 17 league matches and was the Superliga's top scorer at the winter break. In the final match before the break, he suffered an injury that required surgery and ruled him out until March.[12]
International career
Born in Guinea-Bissau, Djú also holds French citizenship from his father.[13] Djú was called up to the Guinea-Bissau national team for a set of 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches in September 2023.[14] Shortly after, he scored his first goal for Guinea-Bissau in a 2–1 victory against Sierra Leone.[15]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 7 December 2025[16]
| Club | Season | League | Danish Cup | Europe | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Midtjylland | 2023–24 | Danish Superliga | 27 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 3[a] | 5 | 32 | 17 |
| 2024–25 | Danish Superliga | 28 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 12[b] | 4 | 41 | 16 | |
| 2025–26 | Danish Superliga | 17 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 11[c] | 4 | 30 | 21 | |
| Career total | 72 | 38 | 5 | 3 | 26 | 13 | 103 | 54 | ||
- Appearances in UEFA Conference League
- Six appearances and three goals in UEFA Champions League, six appearances and one goal in UEFA Europa League
- Appearances in UEFA Europa League
International
- As of match played 8 September 2025[17]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guinea-Bissau | 2023 | 3 | 1 |
| 2024 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2025 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 14 | 1 | |
- As of match played 10 June 2024
- Scores and results list Guinea-Bissau's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Djú goal
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 September 2023 | Estádio 24 de Setembro, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau |  Sierra Leone | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
Honours
Benfica Youth
Midtjylland
Individual
- Danish Superliga Young Player of the Month: September 2024
- Danish Superliga Player of the Month: July 2025[18]
- Danish Superliga Goal of the Month: July 2025,[19] October 2025[20]