Fernando Lopes dos Santos Varela

For the Spanish player, see Fernando Varela Ramos.
This name uses Portuguese naming customs. The first or maternal family name is Dos Santos and the second or paternal family name is Varela.
Fernando Varela

Varela with Steaua in 2014
Personal information
Full name Fernando Lopes dos Santos Varela
Date of birth (1987-11-26) 26 November 1987
Place of birth Cascais, Portugal
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position Defender
Club information
Current team
 PAOK
Number 43
Youth career
1996–2004 AFD Torre
2004–2006 Estoril
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2008 Estoril 29 (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– PAOK 4 (0)
National team‡
2008– Cape Verde 40 (3)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23 October 2016.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 29 March 2016

Fernando Lopes dos Santos Varela (born 26 November 1987) is a Cape Verdean professional footballer who plays for Greek club PAOK FC and the Cape Verdean national team mainly as a central defender.

Club career

Portugal

Born in Cascais, Varela started playing professionally with G.D. Estoril Praia in the second division, 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 top flight; he managed to appear regularly during the season, but the club was relegated.

In the 2011 summer, after two additional division two seasons with Trofense, Varela signed for C.D. Feirense, returned to the top level after a 22-year absence. In the following campaign he played in all league games as a starter, notably scoring twice against S.L. Benfica on 28 January 2012 (one in his own net) in an eventual 1–2 loss where he also committed a penalty,[1] and his team would again drop down a level.

Romania

On 29 May 2012, Varela signed a three-year contract with Romanian team FC Vaslui.[2] On 3 September of the following year he joined fellow Liga I side FC Steaua București, after agreeing to a three-year deal for a €1.25 million transfer fee.[3]

At the end of the 2014–15 season, Málaga CF showed interest in acquiring Varela, but Steaua rejected the Spaniards' €6 million offer.[4] He appeared in 47 games across all competitions, in an eventual double conquest.

Greece

On 23 July 2016, Varela who had less than 6 months left on his contract agreed to a three-year deal with Superleague Greece club PAOK FC, for a €1.4 million fee.[5]

International career

Varela in action for Cape Verde in 2013

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 – which was preparing for the FIFA World Cup in South Africa – playing the entire match as the minnows (ranked 117th) managed a 0–0 draw.[6]

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.[7] That game was later rendered invalid by FIFA as a result of Equatorial Guinea fielding ineligible Emilio Nsue, but Varela's disciplinary record stood.[8]

International goals

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
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
As of 15 November 2013[9]
As of 1 May 2016[10]
Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Portugal League Taça de Portugal Taça da Liga Europe Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira Total
2005–06EstorilSegunda Liga0010--10
2006–07Rio MaiorPortuguese Second Division21320-233
2007–08EstorilSegunda Liga1801010-200
2008-091112041-172
TrofensePrimeira Liga11100-111
2009–10Segunda Liga1200010-130
2010–112711000-281
2011–12FeirensePrimeira Liga3021021-333
RomaniaLiga ICupa RomânieiCupa LigiiEuropeSupercupa RomânieiTotal
2012–13VasluiLiga I32100-41-362
2013–145000-50
Steaua Bucureşti2346120315
2014–15303302011010473
2015–1629340105110404
Total Portugal Estoril 2914051--382
Rio Maior 2132000--233
Trofense 5021010--522
Feirense 3021021--333
Total 13088082--14610
Romania Vaslui 37100-41-412
Steaua Bucureşti 8210131301812011812
Total 11911131302222015914
Career total 249192111122222030524

Honours

Club

Steaua Bucureşti

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Benfica comeback sees off Feirense". PortuGOAL. 28 January 2012. Retrieved 6 June 2012.
  2. ↑ "Varela no Vaslui até 2015" [Varela in Vaslui until 2015]. Record. 29 May 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
  3. ↑ "Bine ai venit, Fernando Varela!" [Welcome, Fernando Varela!] (in Romanian). FC Steaua București. 3 September 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
  4. ↑ "Exclusiv! Pică transferul la Steaua? "Nu ne-am înţeles încă!"" [Exclusive! Pică transferred to Steaua? "We have not heard a thing!"] (in Romanian). Fanatik. 3 June 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  5. ↑ "Βαρέλα και επίσημα στον ΠΑΟΚ" [Varela officially in PAOK] (in Greek). Sport 24. 23 July 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  6. ↑ "Portugal held to 0–0 draw by Cape Verde". USA Today. 24 May 2010. Retrieved 28 June 2010.
  7. ↑ Equatorial Guinea 0:3 Cape Verde Islands; FIFA.com, 24 March 2013
  8. ↑ "FIFA bans Cape Verde from World Cup". FOX Soccer. 12 September 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  9. ↑ "Fernando Varela – Matches". Soccerway. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
  10. ↑ "Fernando Varela". Soccerway. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
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