João Diogo (footballer, born 1988)

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Gomes and the second or paternal family name is de Freitas.
João Diogo
Personal information
Full name João Diogo Gomes de Freitas[1]
Date of birth (1988-02-28) 28 February 1988 (age 36)[1]
Place of birth Funchal, Portugal[1]
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Position(s) Right-back
Youth career
1996−2007 Marítimo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2015 Marítimo B 108 (7)
2011–2016 Marítimo 89 (2)
2016–2017 Belenenses 31 (2)
2018 Gaz Metan Mediaș 9 (2)
2019 Farul Constanța 17 (1)
2019 Spartak Trnava 16 (0)
2020–2021 Estoril 23 (0)
2021–2022 Camacha 14 (0)
2022 Académica 12 (0)
2022 Cruzado Canicense 7 (1)
Total 326 (15)
International career
2009 Portugal U21 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

João Diogo Gomes de Freitas (born 28 February 1988), known as João Diogo, is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a right-back.

Club career

Marítimo

Born in Funchal, João Diogo joined local C.S. Marítimo's youth system in 1996, at the age of 8. He spent the better part of his first four seasons as a senior with the reserves, in the third division.

João Diogo made his Primeira Liga debut with the Madeirans on 13 January 2012, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–1 away draw against F.C. Paços de Ferreira.[2] It would be the first of just two league appearances during the campaign, the other also coming against the same opponent.[3]

From 2013–14 onwards, João Diogo became Marítimo's first choice in his position. In 2015 and 2016, he started and scored in Taça da Liga finals against S.L. Benfica, but lost both games held in Coimbra (2–1 and 6–2, respectively).[4][5]

Belenenses

On 25 May 2016, João Diogo signed for C.F. Os Belenenses.[6] He scored twice from 31 appearances in his first season,[7][8] helping to a 14th-place finish.

João Diogo spent the first part of the following campaign on the sidelines, nursing an injury. In late December 2017, he terminated his contract.[9]

Romania

In January 2018, João Diogo joined CS Gaz Metan Mediaș of the Romanian Liga I.[10] On 7 February of the following year he signed with FCV Farul Constanța in the same country (Liga II), owned by former Romanian international Ciprian Marica.[11]

International career

João Diogo represented Portugal at under-21 level, appearing for the nation at the 2009 Lusofonia Games.

References

  1. ^ a b c d "João Diogo" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  2. ^ "Empate foi mal menor" [Draw was the lesser evil]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 14 January 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  3. ^ "Marítimo e Paços de Ferreira terminam época com empate" [Marítimo and Paços de Ferreira end season with draw] (in Portuguese). TSF. 12 May 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  4. ^ Lopes, Octávio (29 May 2015). "Benfica conquista 6.ª Taça da Liga" [Benfica conquer 6th League Cup]. Correio da Manhã (in Portuguese). Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  5. ^ "Depois do "tri", o "hepta". Benfica goleia e vence Taça da Liga" [After "tri", "hepta". Benfica rout and win League Cup] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença. 20 May 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  6. ^ "João Diogo reforça Belenenses" [João Diogo strengthens Belenenses] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 25 May 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  7. ^ Castro, Ricardo Jorge (27 January 2017). "Boavista-Belenenses, 0–1 (destaques)" [Boavista-Belenenses, 0–1 (highlights)] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  8. ^ "Moreirense empata no Restelo. Manutenção a dois pontos" [Moreirense draw at Restelo. Survival two points away] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença. 12 May 2017. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  9. ^ "João Diogo rescindiu com o Belenenses" [João Diogo cut ties with Belenenses]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 21 December 2017. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  10. ^ Santos, Ana (16 January 2018). "Madeirense João Diogo na Roménia" [Madeira's own João Diogo in Romania] (in Portuguese). RTP Madeira. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  11. ^ Anghel, Marius (7 February 2019). "Primele "lovituri" din cariera de patron a lui Ciprian Marica! Trei jucători "peste medie" vin la Farul: unul dintre ei e fost campion al României" [First "strikes" of Marica's new career as an owner! Three "above average" players come to Farul: one of them is a former champion of Romania]. ProSport (in Romanian). Retrieved 7 February 2019.