Gonçalo Franco
Portuguese footballer (born 2000)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gonçalo Batista Franco (born 17 November 2000) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL Championship club Swansea City.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gonçalo Batista Franco[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 17 November 2000[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Porto, Portugal[1] | ||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Swansea City | ||
| Number | 17 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2008–2010 | Boavista | ||
| 2010–2013 | Porto | ||
| 2014 | Rio Ave | ||
| 2014–2020 | Leixões | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020 | Leixões | 6 | (0) |
| 2020–2024 | Moreirense | 112 | (6) |
| 2024– | Swansea City | 85 | (5) |
| International career | |||
| 2019 | Portugal U20 | 2 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 19:24, 2 May 2026 (UTC) | |||
Club career
Early career
Born in Porto, Franco finished his youth career at Leixões after joining its academy at the age of 13. He made his LigaPro debut with the first team on 4 January 2020, featuring 83 minutes in a 0–1 home loss against Penafiel.[2]
Moreirense
Franco signed a five-year contract with Primeira Liga club Moreirense in the summer of 2020.[3] He played his first match in the competition on 20 September, coming on as a late substitute in the 2–0 home win over Farense.[4] He scored his first goal the following 10 May, closing the 2–1 away defeat of Portimonense.[5]
During his tenure at the Parque de Jogos Comendador Joaquim de Almeida Freitas, Franco totalled 129 appearances, nine goals and six assists.[6]
Swansea City
On 12 July 2024, Franco joined EFL Championship side Swansea City on a four-year deal, for an undisclosed fee.[7] He made his debut on 10 August, playing 78 minutes and being booked in the 1–0 away loss to Middlesbrough.[8] He scored his first goal on 26 December as the hosts defeated Queens Park Rangers 3–0,[9] and at the end of his first season was voted both the Swans' Supporters' Player of the Season and Players' Player of the Season.[10]
Franco scored his first goal of the 2025–26 campaign on 30 September 2025, equalising an eventual 2–1 victory at Blackburn Rovers.[11]
International career
Franco won caps for Portugal at under-20 level.[12]
Personal life
Career statistics
- As of match played 2 May 2026[14]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Leixões | 2019–20 | LigaPro | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | |
| Moreirense | 2020–21 | Primeira Liga | 26 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 29 | 1 | ||
| 2021–22 | Primeira Liga | 23 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2[c] | 0 | 29 | 2 | |
| 2022–23 | Liga Portugal 2 | 30 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | — | 36 | 4 | ||
| 2023–24 | Primeira Liga | 33 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 35 | 2 | ||
| Total | 112 | 6 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 129 | 9 | ||
| Swansea City | 2024–25 | EFL Championship | 40 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 42 | 2 | |
| 2025–26 | EFL Championship | 45 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | 49 | 4 | ||
| Total | 85 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | — | 91 | 6 | |||
| Career total | 203 | 11 | 11 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 226 | 15 | ||
- Appearances in Primeira Liga relegation play-offs