Fernando Varela (Cape Verdean footballer)

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 Verde national team mainly as a central defender.

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 playing for PAOK in 2017
Personal information
Full name Fernando Lopes dos Santos Varela
Date of birth (1987-11-26) 26 November 1987[1]
Place of birth Cascais, Portugal[1]
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Playing position(s) Defender
Club information
Current team
 PAOK
Number 5
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– PAOK 105 (5)
National team‡
2008– Cape Verde 49 (3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 31 July 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 24 March 2019

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 Primeira Liga; he managed to appear regularly during the season, but they were relegated.

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

Romania
Varela in action for Steaua București in 2015

On 29 May 2012, Varela signed a three-year contract with Romanian side FC Vaslui.[3] On 3 September of the following year he joined FC Steaua București also from Liga I, after agreeing to a three-year deal for a €1.25 million transfer fee.[4]

At the end of 2014–15, Málaga CF showed interest in acquiring Varela, but Steaua rejected the Spaniards' €6 million offer.[5] He appeared in 47 matches across all competitions, in an eventual double conquest.

PAOK

On 23 July 2016, Varela, who had less than six months left on his contract, moved to the Superleague Greece with PAOK FC for three years and a €1.4 million fee.[6] He scored his first goal in 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.[7]

On 21 May 2019, Varela declined the club's contract renewal offer.[8]

International career
Varela with Cape Verde in December 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.[9]

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.[10] That game was later rendered invalid by FIFA as a result of Equatorial Guinea fielding ineligible Emilio Nsue, but Varela's disciplinary record stood.[11]

Career statistics

Club
As of 31 July 2020[12]
Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
Club SeasonLeague AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
Rio Maior (loan) 2006–07Portuguese Second Division21320- - -233
Total 21320 -- -233
Estoril 2005–06Segunda Liga0010- - -10
2007–08 Segunda Liga1701010- -190
2008–09 Segunda Liga1112041- -172
Total 28140 5 1- -372
Trofense 2008–09Primeira Liga11100- - -111
2009–10Segunda Liga1200010- -130
2010–11 Segunda Liga2711000- -281
Total 50210 1 0- -522
Feirense 2011–12Primeira Liga3021021- -333
Total 30210 2 1- -333
Vaslui 2012–13Liga I32100-41-362
2013–14 Liga I5000 -- -50
Total 37100 -41 -412
Steaua Bucureşti 2013–14 Liga I23461 -20 -315
2014–15 Liga I303302011010473
2015–16 Liga I29340105110404
Total 8210131 3 0181 2 011812
PAOK 2016–17Superleague Greece24170-80-391
2017–18 Superleague Greece26160 -40371
2018–19 Superleague Greece27240 -121433
2019–20 Superleague Greece28151 -40372
Total 1055221-281-1567
Career total 353244321125032046031

International goals
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.4 September 2010Várzea, Praia, Cape Verde Mali1–0Win2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
2.29 February 2012Mahamasina Municipal Stadium, Antananarivo, Madagascar Madagascar4–0Win2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
3.27 January 2013Nelson Mandela, Port Elizabeth, South Africa Angola2–1Win2013 Africa Cup of Nations
As of 15 November 2018[13]

Honours

Club

Steaua București

PAOK

Individual
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References
  1. "Fernando Varela". Eurosport. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  2. Kundert, Tom (28 January 2012). "Benfica comeback sees off Feirense". PortuGOAL. Archived from the original on 4 May 2012. Retrieved 6 June 2012.
  3. Pinto, Vítor (29 May 2012). "Varela no Vaslui até 2015" [Varela in Vaslui until 2015]. Record. Archived from the original on 14 March 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
  4. "Bine ai venit, Fernando Varela!" [Welcome, Fernando Varela!] (in Romanian). FC Steaua București. 3 September 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
  5. Vlad, Daniel; Blanuta, Cristian (3 June 2015). "Exclusiv! Pică transferul la Steaua? "Nu ne-am înţeles încă!"" [Exclusive! Pică transferred to Steaua? "We have not heard a thing!"]. Fanatik (in Romanian). Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  6. Βαρέλα και επίσημα στον ΠΑΟΚ [Varela officially in PAOK] (in Greek). Sport 24. 23 July 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  7. Petrotós, Kóstas (12 February 2018). Επίδειξη ισχύος, 3–0 ο ΠΑΟΚ την ΑΕΛ [Power display, 3–0 from PAOK to AEL] (in Greek). Sport 24. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  8. Το παρασκήνιο για το «όχι» του Βαρέλα στον ΠΑΟΚ [The reasons for Varela's "no" to PAOK]. Proto Thema (in Greek). 21 May 2019. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  9. "Portugal held to 0–0 draw by Cape Verde". USA Today. 24 May 2010. Retrieved 28 June 2010.
  10. "Equatorial Guinea 0–3 Cape Verde Islands". FIFA. 24 March 2013. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  11. "FIFA bans Cape Verde from World Cup". Fox Sports. 12 September 2013. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  12. "Fernando Varela". Soccerway. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
  13. "Fernando Varela – Matches". Soccerway. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
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