Lorenzo Gordinho

Lorenzo João Gordinho (born 26 April 1994) is a South African professional footballer who plays as a defender for Viborg FF and the South Africa national team.

Lorenzo Gordinho
Personal information
Full name Lorenzo Joao Gordinho[1]
Date of birth (1994-04-26) 26 April 1994
Place of birth Benoni, South Africa
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Centre back
Club information
Current team
 Viborg FF
Number 4
Youth career
Kaizer Chiefs
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2020 Kaizer Chiefs 58 (7)
2018 → Bloemfontein Celtic (loan) 27 (1)
2020 Bidvest Wits 14 (0)
2020– Viborg FF 0 (0)
National team‡
2017– South Africa 3 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 21:05, 14 September 2020 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 7 July 2017

An academy graduate of Chiefs, Gordinho made his senior professional debut in 2013 and, either side of a year-long loan at Bloemfontein Celtic in 2018, represented the club on 71 occasions. Two years later, he joined fellow PSL side Bidvest Wits. He signed for Danish side Viborg FF in the summer of 2020

Gordinho is also a full international with South Africa, having made his senior debut in 2017, and has to date earned three caps with the national team.

Club career

Early career

Gordinho is the son of former Orlando Pirates and Benoni United player, Manny Faria. In his early years, he and his brother Anthony played for Easterns in Benoni and later in Balfour, before being invited to train with Orlando Pirates’ development team. From there Gordinho was signed by Kazier Chiefs at the age of 15 after being put into contact with development coach, Lucky Stylianou by close friend Masalealo Seanego. His brother later trialled in Brazil before joining Ajax Cape Town's academy.[2][3]

Kaizer Chiefs

Having progressed through the club's academy, Gordinho made his Kaizer Chiefs debut in the 2013–14 PSL season under coach Stuart Baxter. He made only two appearances across all competitions the following season as the club claimed a domestic double, winning the PSL and MTN 8 titles.[4] Following Baxter's departure, and Steve Komphela's arrival in 2015, he was chosen to be part of the club's captains committee and became a regular within the starting line-up.[5][6] He was voted PSL Player of the Month for August and September 2016.[7] In January 2017, Gordinho was one of four Chiefs players who travelled to England to train with Fulham as part of a relationship-building exercise between the two clubs.[8] Later that month, he was invited to trial with Danish Superliga side AaB and featured for the side in a friendly against Hoffenheim.[9] A permanent move failed to materialize, however, and upon his return to South Africa he signed a new three-year contract with Chiefs.[10][11] On 31 October 2017, he made his 50th league appearance for the club.[12] It was his final appearance for Kaizer Chiefs for the season, however, and in January the following year he joined fellow PSL side Bloemfontein Celtic on loan.[13]

Loan to Bloemfontein Celtic

On 3 January 2018, Gordinho signed for Bloemfontein Celtic on a one-year loan as part of a deal which saw Celtic captain Kabelo Mahlasela join Kaizer Chiefs permanently.[13] He made his debut four days later when he started in a 2–1 league win over Golden Arrows and was well received by the club's supporters who were recorded chanting his name throughout the match.[14][15] On 4 March, he earned the man of the match award for his performance in Celtic's 1–0 league win over Ajax.[16] He scored his first goal for the club exactly one month later, netting in a 2–1 defeat to Orlando Pirates. He was also later sent off during the match for a professional foul on Luvuyo Memela.[17] He ultimately made 16 appearances across all competitions in his debut season with the club. Ahead of the following season, he was reunited with Komphela after the manager had taken over the club following Veselin Jelušić's resignation and his own sacking by Chiefs earlier in the year.[18] He made 14 appearances during the first half of the 2018–19 campaign before returning to Chiefs, despite Celtic attempting to retain his services for the remainder of the season.[19]

Bidvest Wits

Following his return to Naturena, Gordinho managed just eight appearances over the course of the next year, before securing a permanent move to PSL rivals, Bidvest Wits on 14 January 2020, where he signed a two-and-a-half-year deal.[20]

Viborg FF

After opting not to move to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila, who had purchased the top-flight status of Bidvest Wits, he signed a two-year contract with Danish side Viborg FF on a free transfer.[21]

International career

Though born in Benoni, South Africa, Gordinho was eligible to represent Portugal prior to making his international debut as his father is Portuguese.[6]

South African national football team

In March 2017, Gordinho received his first call-up to the South African national side by interim-coach Owen Da Gama before making his debut under Stuart Baxter in a 2–1 friendly loss to Zambia in June.[22][23][24]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 14 January 2020[1]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup1 League Cup2 Continental3 Other4 Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Kaizer Chiefs 2013–14 PSL 201010000040
2014–15 PSL 101000000020
2015–16 PSL 16400200020204
2016–17 PSL 25320200010303
2017–18 PSL 600000001070
2018–19 PSL 300000000030
2019–20 PSL 500000000050
Total 58740500040717
Bloem Celtic (loan) 2017–18 PSL 14120000000161
2018–19 PSL 13000100000140
Total 27120100000301
Bidvest Wits 2019–20 PSL 000000000000
Career total 858606000401018

1 Includes Nedbank Cup matches.
2 Includes Telkom Knockout matches.
4 Includes MTN 8 matches.

International
As of 4 September 2017 [25]
National teamYearAppsGoals
South Africa 201730
Total30

Honours

Club
Kaizer Chiefs

Individual
  • PSL Player of the Month (2): August 2016; September 2016[7]

References
  1. "Lorenzo Gordinho Profile". Soccerway. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  2. Sibeko, Vukile (15 October 2014). "Gordinho brothers get dad's backing". SuperSport. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  3. "My Ten: 10 things you didn't know about Lorenzo Gordinho". Kaizer Chiefs. 8 September 2017. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  4. "Chiefs have the edge – MTN8 QF". Kaizer Chiefs. 4 August 2015. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  5. Moyo, Lovemore (29 July 2015). "Kaizer Chiefs defender Gordinho explains captain's committee inclusion". Kick Off. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  6. Said, Nick (16 January 2017). "Strong possibility Chiefs could lose Lorenzo Gordinho". Sowetan Live. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  7. "Larsen & Gordinho win PSL Monthly Awards". Goal. 2 June 2017.
  8. "Chiefs Players To Start Fulham Training Today". Soccer Laduma. 3 January 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  9. "Chiefs' Gordinho impresses in Europe". News 24. 15 January 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  10. Crann, Joe (20 January 2017). "Gordinho Signs New Chiefs Deal". Soccer Laduma. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  11. Crann, Joe (21 January 2017). "Confirmed: No Aalborg Move For Gordinho". Soccer Laduma. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  12. FenomenoZA (31 October 2017). "Untitled". Twitter. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  13. "Kaizer Chiefs have loaned Lorenzo Gordinho out to Bloemfontein Celtic". Kick Off. 3 January 2018. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  14. "Absa Premiership match report Bloemfontein Celtic v Golden Arrows 07 January 2018". Kick Off. 7 January 2018. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  15. Cowzile, Denver (8 January 2018). "Did You See The Epic Reception Celtic Fans Gave Gordinho?". SoccerLaduma. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  16. "Bloemfontein Celtic on Twitter". Twitter. 4 March 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  17. "Absa Premiership match report Orlando Pirates v Bloemfontein Celtic 04 April 2018". Kick Off. 4 April 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  18. "Lorenzo Gordinho cracks on under new Bloemfontein Celtic coach Steve Komphela". Kick Off. 23 July 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  19. "Lorenzo Gordinho Won't Play For Bloem Celtic Again". Soccer Laduma. 13 December 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
  20. "Official: Chiefs Confirm Two January Departures". Soccer Laduma. 14 January 2020. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  21. Kohler, Lorenz (14 September 2020). "Ex-Kaizer Chiefs defender Lorenzo Gordinho joins Viborg FF in Denmark". Kick Off. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  22. "Gordinho On His First Bafana Camp". Soccer Laduma. 24 March 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  23. "Chiefs Star Set For Bafana Debut". Soccer Laduma. 13 June 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  24. "Zambia End Bafana's 18-Game Unbeaten Run". Soccer Laduma. 13 June 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  25. "Lorenzo Gordinho". National Football Teams. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
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