Gonçalo Inácio

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Gonçalo Inácio
Gonçalo Inácio 2021.png
Inácio with Sporting CP in 2021
Personal information
Full name Gonçalo Bernardo Inácio[1]
Date of birth (2001-08-25) 25 August 2001 (age 20)[1]
Place of birth Almada, Portugal[1]
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Position(s) Centre back
Club information
Current team
 Sporting CP
Number 25
Youth career
2010–2012 Almada
2012–2020 Sporting CP
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020– Sporting CP 31 (4)
National team‡
2017 Portugal U17 1 (0)
2019 Portugal U18 8 (0)
2019 Portugal U19 3 (0)
2019 Portugal U20 1 (0)
2021– Portugal U21 2 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18 December 2021
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 16 November 2021

Gonçalo Bernardo Inácio (Portuguese pronunciation: [ɡõˈsalu iˈnasju]; born 25 August 2001) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a central defender for Primeira Liga club Sporting CP.

Early life[]

Inácio was born in Almada, Setúbal District and raised in Seixal, a municipality located 34.2 km (21.3 mi) away. Growing up, he would play football wherever he could on the streets or in his house, and regularly attended Sporting CP matches with his father.[2] Despite not having a particular idol, he looked to emulate Jérémy Mathieu.[2]

Club career[]

Inácio began his career at local Almada, before moving to Sporting's academy. Prior to this, he had several trials with crosstown rivals Benfica, but ultimately decided not to join them when his father's car broke down on two occasions when he was being taken to training.[3] On 13 January 2018, he signed his first professional contract at the age of 16.[4]

Inácio had his first call-up to the first team on 6 July 2020, remaining unused in a goalless draw at Moreirense in the Primeira Liga;[5] he would initially struggle to be integrated, due to being reserved by nature, but managed to succeed with the help of manager Rúben Amorim and his teammates Nuno Mendes, Eduardo Quaresma and Tiago Tomás, whom he had befriended during his time in the youth sides.[2] He made his debut in a 2–0 away win against Portimonense on 4 October, as a 62nd-minute substitute for Zouhair Feddal.[6]

On 20 March 2021, Inácio scored his first goal, heading home from close range in the 1–0 home victory over Vitória de Guimarães.[7] On 23 January, he provided the assist for Pedro Porro in a 1–0 defeat of Braga to help his club win the Taça da Liga; his performance in the match impressed Amorim, with the player eventually surpassing Luís Neto in the pecking order.[8] He played 20 times in the domestic league for the eventual champions, ending a 19-year drought.[9]

International career[]

Inácio represented Portugal at under-17, under-18, under-19, under-20 and under-21 levels, for a total of 15 caps.[10] He was called up to the senior side by Fernando Santos on 26 August 2021, for 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Azerbaijan and the Republic of Ireland and a friendly with Qatar.[11] Four days later, however, he was dropped from the squad after picking up an injury on his left thigh.[12]

On 12 November 2021, Inácio made his under-21 debut, playing the entire 1–0 win in Cyprus in the 2023 UEFA European Championship qualifying stage.[13] He scored his first goal in the reverse fixture four days later, in a 6–0 rout in Faro.[14]

Career statistics[]

Club[]

As of match played 18 December 2021[15]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Sporting CP 2020–21 Primeira Liga 20 1 2 1 3 0 — — 25 2
2021–22 Primeira Liga 11 3 1 0 1 0 5[a] 0 1[b] 0 19 3
Career total 31 4 3 1 4 0 5 0 1 0 44 5
  1. ^ Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League
  2. ^ Appearance in Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira

Honours[]

Sporting CP

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d "Gonçalo Inácio" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Almeida, Isaura (27 May 2021). ""Já não consigo ir passear o cão à rua sem se juntar uma multidão"" ["I can no longer walk the dog without gathering a crowd"]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  3. ^ "Inácio e as duas avarias que o 'tiraram'... do Benfica: «Também não gostava de estar lá»" [Inacio and the two breakdowns that 'took him' ... from Benfica: "I didn't like to be there either"]. Record (in Portuguese). 9 December 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  4. ^ Ferreira, André (13 January 2018). "Gonçalo Inácio assinou contrato profissional" [Gonçalo Inácio signed a professional contract]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Muitas novidades no onze do Sporting para o jogo com o Moreirense" [Many new faces in Sporting's XI for the game with Moreirense]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 6 July 2020. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  6. ^ "Inácio com estreia impetuosa" [Inácio with fiery debut]. Record (in Portuguese). 6 October 2020. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  7. ^ Andrade, David (20 March 2021). "Sporting subiu mais um degrau" [Sporting further up the ladder]. Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  8. ^ Pereira Fernandes, Carlos (4 February 2021). "Gonçalo Inácio convence Rúben Amorim e espreita nova oportunidade" [Gonçalo Inácio convinces Rúben Amorim and waits for new chance] (in Portuguese). Notícias ao Minuto. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  9. ^ a b Kundert, Tom (11 May 2021). "10 reasons why Sporting are Champions of Portugal". PortuGOAL. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  10. ^ "Gonçalo Inácio dispensado da seleção devido a problemas físicos" [Gonçalo Inácio released by the national team due to physical problems]. Expresso (in Portuguese). 30 August 2021. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  11. ^ Aleixo, Mário (26 August 2021). "Otávio e Gonçalo Inácio convocados por Fernando Santos" [Otávio and Gonçalo Inácio called by Fernando Santos] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  12. ^ "Seleção: Gonçalo Inácio dispensado por lesão" [National team: Gonçalo Inácio released due to injury] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 30 August 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  13. ^ "Portugal embalado pela magia de Vitinha e a eficácia de Ramos" [Portugal propelled by Vitinha magic and Ramos efficiency]. Público (in Portuguese). 12 November 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  14. ^ "Portugal goleia Chipre e lidera corrida ao Euro sub-21" [Portugal rout Cyprus and lead under-21 Euro race] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença. 16 November 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  15. ^ Gonçalo Inácio at Soccerway
  16. ^ Ribeiro, Patrick (23 January 2021). "Sporting battle their way to League Cup glory with victory over Braga". PortuGOAL. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  17. ^ "Sporting CP win Supertaça with victory over SC Braga". Sporting CP. 31 July 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2021.

External links[]

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