Fernando Varela (Cape Verdean footballer)

Fernando Varela
	Varela with PAOK in 2018
Personal information
Full name	Fernando Lopes dos Santos Varela
Date of birth	26 November 1987 (age 36)
Place of birth	Cascais, Portugal
Height	1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Defender
Team information
Current team	Casa Pia
Number	15
Youth career
1996–2004	AFD Torre
2004–2006	Estoril
Senior career*
Years	Team
2006–2009	Estoril
2006–2007	→ Rio Maior (loan)
2009–2011	Trofense
2011–2012	Feirense
2012–2013	Vaslui
2013–2016	Steaua București
2016–2022	PAOK
2022–	Casa Pia
International career
2008–2019	Cape Verde
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:54, 6 May 2024 (UTC)

Fernando Lopes dos Santos Varela (born 26 November 1987) is a Cape Verdean professional footballer who plays mainly as a centre-back for Primeira Liga club Casa Pia.

Club career

Portugal

Born in Cascais, Varela started playing professionally with G.D. Estoril Praia in the Segunda Liga, 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-tier 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 division.

Romania

Varela signed a three-year contract with Romanian side FC Vaslui on 29 May 2012.^[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 Super League 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

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 were 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 1 July 2023^[12]

Club performance			League		National Cup		League Cup		Continental		Other		Total
Club	Season	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Rio Maior (loan)	2006–07	Segunda Divisão	21	3	2	0	–		–		–		23	3
Estoril	2005–06	Segunda Liga	0	0	1	0	–		–		–		1	0
	2007–08		17	0	1	0	1	0	–		–		19	0
	2008–09		11	1	2	0	4	1	–		–		17	2
	Total		49	4	6	0	5	1	–		–		60	5
Trofense	2008–09	Primeira Liga	11	1	0	0	–		–		–		11	1
	2009–10		12	0	0	0	1	0	–		–		13	0
	2010–11		27	1	1	0	0	0	–		–		28	1
	Total		50	2	1	0	1	0	–		–		52	2
Feirense	2011–12	Primeira Liga	30	2	1	0	2	1	–		–		33	3
Vaslui	2012–13	Liga I	32	1	0	0	–		4	1	–		36	2
	2013–14	Liga I	5	0	0	0	–		–		–		5	0
	Total		67	3	0	0	–		4	1	–		74	5
Steaua București	2013–14	Liga I	23	4	6	1	–		2	0	–		31	5
	2014–15		30	3	3	0	2	0	11	0	1	0	47	3
	2015–16		29	3	4	0	1	0	5	1	1	0	40	4
	Total		82	10	13	1	3	0	18	1	2	0	118	12
PAOK	2016–17	Super League Greece	24	1	7	0	–		8	0	–		39	1
	2017–18		26	1	6	0	–		4	0	–		36	1
	2018–19		27	2	4	0	–		12	1	–		43	3
	2019–20		28	1	5	1	–		4	0	–		37	2
	2020–21		23	1	3	0	–		10	1	–		36	2
	2021–22		16	0	0	0	–		6	0	–		22	0
	Total		144	6	25	1	–		44	2	–		213	9
Casa Pia	2022–23	Primeira Liga	27	1	1	0	3	1	-		-		31	2
Casa Pia	2023–24	Primeira Liga
Career total			419	26	46	2	14	3	66	4	2	0	548	35

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 2018^[13]

Honours

Steaua București

PAOK

Individual

References

External links

Fernando Varela at ForaDeJogo (archived)
Fernando Varela at RomanianSoccer.ro (in Romanian)
Fernando Varela at National-Football-Teams.com
Fernando Varela – FIFA competition record (archived)

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