Stélvio (footballer)
Angolan footballer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Stélvio Rosa da Cruz (born 24 January 1989), known simply as Stélvio, is an Angolan professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Luxembourg Division of Honour club Luxembourg City.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Stélvio Rosa da Cruz[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 24 January 1989[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Luanda, Angola[1] | ||
| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Defensive midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Luxembourg City | ||
| Number | 38 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2000–2007 | Braga | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2007–2011 | Braga | 19 | (0) |
| 2009–2010 | → União Leiria (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2010 | → 1º Agosto (loan) | ||
| 2011 | → Libolo (loan) | ||
| 2012 | Caála | ||
| 2012–2013 | Alki Larnaca | 11 | (0) |
| 2013–2019 | Dudelange | 104 | (13) |
| 2019–2020 | Virton | 24 | (7) |
| 2020 | RWDM | 2 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | Jeunesse Esch | 39 | (2) |
| 2022–2024 | Mondercange | 27 | (0) |
| 2024– | Luxembourg City | 28 | (2) |
| International career | |||
| 2007–2009 | Portugal U21 | 11 | (0) |
| 2009–2019 | Angola | 11 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 13 June 2026 | |||
Club career
Stélvio was born in Luanda. A product of S.C. Braga's youth academy, he made his Portuguese Primeira Liga debut on 11 November 2007, coming on as a 60th-minute substitute in a 3–0 home win against Sporting CP.[2]
On 4 July 2009, after two seasons in the first team with intermittent use, Stélvio was loaned to U.D. Leiria (recently returned to the top division) in a season-long loan. However, in late January 2010, he moved to his homeland and signed for C.D. Primeiro de Agosto, also on loan.[3]
Stélvio was released by Braga on 31 August 2011.[4] He then joined C.R. Caála, returning to the Angolan Girabola.[5]
In July 2019, after six years in the Luxembourg National Division at the service of F91 Dudelange where he won several team honours,[6][7] the 30-year-old Stélvio moved to Belgium with R.E. Virton on a one-year contract.[8]
International career
Stélvio represented Portugal at under-21 level.[9] He switched allegiance to his native Angola in 2009, being part of the squad that appeared in the following year's Africa Cup of Nations.[10]
In October 2018, after an absence of eight years, Stélvio was recalled to the national team ahead of a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Mauritania.[11] He was selected for the squad that reached the finals in Egypt by manager Srđan Vasiljević.[12]
