*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:25, 21 April 2024 (UTC)
Ivan Ricardo Neves Abreu Cavaleiro (born 18 October 1993) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for Ligue 1 club Lille. Mainly a winger, he can also play as a forward.
Cavaleiro earned 63 caps for Portugal at youth level all categories comprised, scoring 13 goals. He made his senior international debut in 2014.
Club career
Benfica
Born in Vila Franca de Xira, Lisbon District, Cavaleiro played youth football for five clubs, notably representing S.L. Benfica from ages 13–18, a loan spell notwithstanding. He made his senior debut in the 2012–13 season, playing his first Segunda Liga match with the reserves on 11 August 2012 against S.C. Braga B.[3] The following weekend he scored his first goal(s) as a professional, grabbing a brace in a 4–2 away win over C.D. Feirense,[4] and added another two before the end of the month in a 6–0 home rout of C.F. Os Belenenses;[5] he finished his first year with 38 appearances and 12 goals, helping his team to the seventh position.[6]
Cavaleiro started his second season with Benfica B in fashion, netting seven times in ten matches and earning the Second Division Player of the Month award for August/September.[7] He made his official debut for the main squad on 19 October 2013, playing the full 90 minutes against CD Cinfães in the third round in the Taça de Portugal and assistingOla John for the game's only goal.[8] He appeared in his maiden match in the UEFA Champions League four days later, playing the second half of a 1–1 home draw with Olympiacos F.C. in the group stage.[9]
On 31 August 2016, Cavaleiro moved to English Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers on a five-year deal (with the option of an additional year) for an undisclosed fee, reported to be a new club-record sum of £7 million.[16][17] He made his debut on 10 September in a 1–1 home draw to Burton Albion,[18][19] and scored his first goal for the club 14 days later in a 3–1 win against Brentford also at Molineux Stadium.[20]
Cavaleiro was voted the Professional Footballers' Association Fans' Championship Player of the Month for November 2017, after netting four times in as many games.[21] The previous month, he had provided five assists to keep his team clear at the top of the table;[22] he finished the season with nine goals from 42 appearances, adding 12 decisive passes and achieving promotion to the Premier League as champion.[23]
Cavaleiro's first match in the English top division occurred on 29 September 2018, and he scored once in the 2–0 home victory over Southampton with his very first touch of the ball after coming on as a substitute in place of compatriot Diogo Jota.[24]
Fulham
Cavaleiro signed for Fulham on 13 July 2019 on a season-long loan, with the option to make the move permanent afterwards.[25] On 21 August, he put on a player of the match performance in the 4–0 home win against Millwall, scoring twice and providing one assist.[26]
On 7 January 2020, Cavaleiro agreed to a permanent four-and-a-half-year contract.[27] In the 2021–22 campaign, as the club returned to the top tier as champions, he dealt with several injury problems.[28][29]
On 28 February 2014, Cavaleiro received his first callup to the Portugal senior side, for a friendly with Cameroon on 5 March.[40] He started and played 70 minutes in the 5–1 victory in Leiria.[41]
^Ferreira, Luís Pedro (14 August 2013). "Sub-21: Portugal–Suíça, 5–2 (crónica)" [Under-21: Portugal–Switzerland, 5–2 (match report)]. Maisfutebol (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2013.