Silvestre Varela

Silvestre Manuel Gonçalves Varela (born 2 February 1985) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for Belenenses SAD as a winger.

This name uses Portuguese naming customs: the first or maternal family name is Gonçalves and the second or paternal family name is Varela.
Silvestre Varela
Varela training with Portugal in 2012
Personal information
Full name Silvestre Manuel Gonçalves Varela[1]
Date of birth (1985-02-02) 2 February 1985[1]
Place of birth Almada, Portugal[1]
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Position(s) Winger
Club information
Current team
 Belenenses
Number 10
Youth career
1993–2001 Pescadores
2001–2004 Sporting CP
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004 Sporting CP B 1 (0)
2004–2008 Sporting CP 2 (0)
2004–2005 → Casa Pia (loan) 36 (12)
2006–2007 → Vitória Setúbal (loan) 45 (5)
2007–2008 → Recreativo (loan) 22 (0)
2008–2009 Estrela Amadora 28 (6)
2009–2017 Porto 141 (33)
2014–2015 → West Bromwich Albion (loan) 7 (1)
2015 → Parma (loan) 19 (3)
2017–2019 Kayserispor 55 (3)
2019– Belenenses SAD 33 (3)
National team
2003 Portugal U18 5 (1)
2003–2004 Portugal U19 14 (4)
2005 Portugal U20 4 (1)
2005–2007 Portugal U21 28 (6)
2005–2006 Portugal B 5 (0)
2010–2015 Portugal 27 (5)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 4 January 2021

He represented mainly Porto during his career, amassing Primeira Liga totals of 237 matches and 47 goals over 11 seasons and winning 11 major titles, including three national championships and the 2011 Europa League. He also competed professionally in Spain, England, Italy and Turkey.

Varela appeared for Portugal at Euro 2012 and the 2014 World Cup, scoring in both tournaments.

Club career

Sporting

A product of Sporting CP's youth system, Varela was born in Almada, Setúbal District, being loaned to Casa Pia A.C. and Vitória F.C. in his early years as a professional.[2] Despite being a regular with the Portuguese under-21s and having enjoyed a decent form in various tournaments, he was not able to secure a place in the Lions' first team, only managing two substitute appearances in the 2005–06 season.[3][4]

In 2007–08, Varela, alongside former Sporting players Beto and Carlos Martins, played for Recreativo de Huelva in Spain (Varela on loan again).[5][6] After a disappointing campaign despite having received playing time in La Liga, he returned to Sporting in July 2008 only to be immediately sold to C.F. Estrela da Amadora.[7]

Porto

Before the season was over, in March 2009, courtesy of his solid performances at Estrela, only relegated from the Primeira Liga off the field, Varela signed a five-year agreement with champions FC Porto on a free transfer, starting in July.[8] In his first year he ranked second in overall goals in the squad, only behind Radamel Falcao; in March 2010, however, he broke his fibula in training, being lost for the remainder of the campaign[9] as the team finished third.

In 2011–12, under new manager Vítor Pereira, Varela – as practically all Portuguese players (the roster was composed of three nationals) – lost his importance in the side.[10] On 16 February 2012, in a rare start, he put Porto ahead against Manchester City in the season's UEFA Europa League round-of-32, in an eventual 1–2 home loss.[11]

On 24 August 2014, Varela signed with Premier League side West Bromwich Albion on a season-long loan deal.[12] Having arrived whilst still recovering from injury,[13] he made his official debut on 2 December, replacing Craig Gardner midway through the second half of a 1–2 home defeat to West Ham United.[14] He scored his first goal for the Baggies on the 20th, but in a 2–3 loss at Queens Park Rangers.[15]

On 20 January 2015, still owned by Porto, Varela joined struggling Serie A team Parma F.C. until June.[16]

Kayserispor

Having made only seven appearances for Porto during the season, Varela, who was by then the club's longest serving player, ended his seven-and-a-half-year link on 20 January 2017 by signing for Turkey's Kayserispor.[17] He and fellow veteran Asamoah Gyan were told at the end of their contracts in June 2018 that they would only be retained if they signed performance-based deals, due to their injury record.[18]

Belenenses

On 8 October 2019, having been a free agent, Varela returned to his country's top-flight by signing for Belenenses SAD until the end of the season.[19]

International career
Varela in action against Croatia in 2013

Due to his Porto performances, Varela earned his first full cap for the Portuguese national team on 3 March 2010, appearing in the second half of the 2–0 friendly win with China in a match played in Coimbra.[20] His first goal came on 26 March 2011 in a 1–1 friendly draw against Chile, in Leiria.[21]

Varela was selected by manager Paulo Bento for the 23-man squad that competed in UEFA Euro 2012. He played ten minutes in the group stage opener against Germany, in an eventual 0–1 loss.[22] Again coming from the bench for Raul Meireles, he scored an 88th-minute 3–2 winner against Denmark in the following game.[23]

On 19 May 2014, Varela was named in the final 23-man squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.[24] On 23 June, again after having replaced Meireles, he headed home in the 94th minute to earn his team a 2–2 group stage draw against the United States.[25]

Personal life

Varela's nephew Nilton was also a footballer, playing in defence. He made his professional debut for Belenenses SAD alongside him in November 2019.[26]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played on 1 March 2019[27]
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Sporting 2005–06[28] Primeira Liga 2000—2[lower-alpha 1]0—40
Casa Pia (loan) 2004–05[28] Segunda Divisão 361210———3712
Vitória Setúbal (loan) 2005–06[28] Primeira Liga 15241———193
2006–07[28] Primeira Liga 30310—2[lower-alpha 1]01[lower-alpha 2]0343
Total 45551—2010536
Recreativo (loan) 2007–08 La Liga 22020———240
Estrela Amadora 2008–09[28] Primeira Liga 2866212——3510
Porto 2009–10[28] Primeira Liga 18821215[lower-alpha 3]11[lower-alpha 2]02811
2010–11[28] Primeira Liga 2610410012[lower-alpha 1]11[lower-alpha 2]04312
2011–12[28] Primeira Liga 21310318[lower-alpha 3]12[lower-alpha 4]0355
2012–13[28] Primeira Liga 25400308[lower-alpha 3]21[lower-alpha 2]0376
2013–14[28] Primeira Liga 255534112[lower-alpha 3]11[lower-alpha 2]04710
2015–16[28] Primeira Liga 22350303[lower-alpha 3]00[lower-alpha 2]0343
2016–17[28] Primeira Liga 401010100070
Total 141331851634966023147
West Bromwich Albion (loan) 2014–15[27] Premier League 711010——91
Parma (loan) 2014–15[27] Serie A 19310———203
Kayserispor 2016–17[27] Süper Lig 15020———170
2017–18[27] Süper Lig 8230———112
2018–19[27] Süper Lig 21 0 4 1 — — — 25 1
Total 44291000000533
Career total 344624391855367046682
  1. Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League/UEFA Cup
  2. Appearance in Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira
  3. Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  4. Appearances in Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira and UEFA Super Cup

International goals
Silvestre Varela: International goals
GoalDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition

[29]

126 March 2011Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa, Leiria, Portugal Chile1–01–1Friendly
213 June 2012Arena Lviv, Lviv, Ukraine Denmark2–32–3UEFA Euro 2012
311 September 2012Estádio Municipal de Braga, Braga, Portugal Azerbaijan1–03–02014 World Cup qualification
415 October 2013Estádio Cidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal Luxembourg1–03–02014 World Cup qualification
522 June 2014Arena da Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil United States2–22–22014 FIFA World Cup

Honours

Porto

References
  1. "Silvestre Varela" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  2. Figueiredo, Mário (22 February 2014). "Varela: Toque português no melhor ataque" [Varela: Portuguese touch in best offence] (in Portuguese). Sábado. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  3. "Sporting sofre para ganhar" [Sporting suffer to win]. Correio da Manhã (in Portuguese). 20 August 2005. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  4. "A febre fatal do leão" [The lion's deadly fever]. Correio da Manhã (in Portuguese). 10 December 2005. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  5. "El Recreativo presenta a Silvestre Varela y confirma el fichaje de Camuñas" [Recreativo present Silvestre Varela and confirm signing of Camuñas]. Marca (in Spanish). 26 June 2007. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  6. "El Recreativo de Huelva confirma el fichaje del portugués 'Beto'" [Recreativo de Huelva confirm signing of Portuguese 'Beto']. Diario AS (in Spanish). 1 July 2007. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  7. "E. Amadora: Varela rescinde com Sporting para "relançar carreira"" [E. Amadora: Varela cuts ties with Sporting to «relaunch career»] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 24 August 2008. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  8. "Silvestre Varela assina por 5 anos" [Silvestre Varela signs for 5 years]. Record (in Portuguese). 3 March 2009. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  9. Kundert, Tom (20 March 2010). "Silvestre Varela to miss World Cup after breaking leg in training". PortuGOAL. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 27 March 2011.
  10. "Vitor Pereira chama Hulk, Varela fica de fora" [Vitor Pereira calls Hulk, Varela is left out]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 8 September 2011. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  11. "Agüero caps late City comeback at Porto". UEFA. 16 February 2012. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
  12. "Porto winger Silvestre Varela joins West Brom on loan". BBC Sport. 24 August 2014. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
  13. Dick, Brian (8 October 2014). "West Bromwich Albion: Groin injury operation for Silvestre Varela". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  14. Whalley, Mike (2 December 2014). "West Bromwich Albion 1–2 West Ham United". BBC Sport. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  15. Baker, Ian (20 December 2014). "Queens Park Rangers 3–2 West Bromwich Albion". BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  16. "Parma seal Silvestre Varela, Cristian Rodriguez deals". ESPN FC. 20 January 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  17. "FC Porto confirma que Varela se vai transferir para o Kayserispor" [FC Porto confirm that Varela will transfer to Kayserispor] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 20 January 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  18. "Kayserispor to review Asamoah Gyan contract". Ghana Web. 2 June 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  19. Gonçalo Pinto, Pedro (8 October 2019). "Silvestre Varela reforça Belenenses SAD" [Silvestre Varela bolsters Belenenses SAD]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  20. "Vídeo: Varela e Hilário felizes pela estreia" [Video: Varela and Hilário happy with debut]. Expresso (in Portuguese). 4 March 2010. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  21. "Chile peg Portugal back after Varela strike". UEFA. 26 March 2011. Retrieved 27 March 2011.
  22. Atkin, John (9 June 2012). "Gomez gives Germany edge over Portugal". UEFA. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
  23. Atkin, John (13 June 2012). "Last-gasp Varela revives Portugal's hopes". UEFA. Retrieved 13 June 2012.
  24. Kundert, Tom (19 May 2014). "Paulo Bento announces Portugal's 23-man World Cup squad". PortuGOAL. Archived from the original on 31 May 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  25. "Varela strikes to save Portugal". FIFA. 22 June 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  26. Magalhães, Luís; Magalhães, Sérgio (10 November 2019). "Nilton Varela e a estreia com o tio: "É um dia que vai ficar marcado na minha vida"" [Nilton Varela and the debut with uncle: "It's a day that will stay etched in my life"]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  27. "Silvestre Varela". Soccerway. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  28. "Varela". ForaDeJogo. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  29. "Silvestre Varela". European Football. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
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