David Simão

David Martins Simão (born 15 May 1990) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Moreirense F.C. on loan from Greek club AEK Athens FC.

David Simão

Personal information
Full name	David Martins Simão[1]
Date of birth	15 May 1990[1]
Place of birth	Versailles, France[1]
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Position(s)	Midfielder
Club information
Current team	Moreirense (on loan from AEK Athens)
Number	22
Youth career
1998–2000	Abóboda
2000–2009	Benfica
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2008–2013	Benfica	0	(0)
2009–2010	→ Fátima (loan)	25	(5)
2010–2011	→ Paços Ferreira (loan)	25	(0)
2012	→ Académica (loan)	11	(1)
2012–2013	→ Marítimo (loan)	26	(4)
2013–2016	Arouca	79	(11)
2016–2017	CSKA Sofia	24	(3)
2017–2019	Boavista	40	(1)
2019	Antwerp	12	(0)
2019–	AEK Athens	4	(0)
2020	→ Hapoel Be'er Sheva (loan)	10	(0)
2021–	→ Moreirense (loan)	0	(0)
National team
2006	Portugal U16	8	(1)
2006–2007	Portugal U17	11	(1)
2007–2008	Portugal U18	7	(2)
2008–2009	Portugal U19	8	(1)
2010	Portugal U20	5	(3)
2010–2012	Portugal U21	11	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 29 September 2020

Club career

Born in Versailles, France, Simão played most of his youth career at S.L. Benfica, having arrived at the age of 10 from Grupo Instrução Musical Desportiva Abóboda.[2] On 19 January 2008 he was called to the first team for a Portuguese Cup game against C.D. Feirense, courtesy of manager José Antonio Camacho,[3] and was even picked to both UEFA Cup round-of-16 matches against Getafe CF,[4] not being used however in any of the three matches.

Simão made his professional debut with C.D. Fátima, on loan, his first appearance being against C.D. Santa Clara in the 2009–10 season opener in the second division, a 0–1 loss.[5] On 26 September 2009 he scored his first goal for the side, in a 1–1 away draw to Gil Vicente FC.[6]

On 17 June 2010, Simão moved to F.C. Paços de Ferreira, still on loan.[7] He made his Primeira Liga debut on 14 August in a 1–0 home win over Sporting CP,[8] and only missed five league games (19 starts, 2,051 minutes of action) during the campaign as the team finished in seventh position.

Simão returned to Benfica for 2011–12 but, deemed surplus to requirements by manager Jorge Jesus, he moved to fellow league side Académica de Coimbra again on loan, on 17 January 2012.[9] He scored his first goal for his new club on 26 March, netting from 40 yards in a 1–2 loss at S.C. Braga.[10]

On 31 July 2012, Simão was loaned to C.S. Marítimo in a season-long move.[11] He terminated his contract with Benfica late into June of the following year, and signed a three-year deal with F.C. Arouca also in the top flight.[12]

Aged 26, Simão moved abroad for the first time in his career, joining First Professional Football League club PFC CSKA Sofia. On 28 May 2017 he netted twice in The Eternal Derby to help overcome PFC Levski Sofia 3–0,[13] but left on 31 August of that year[14] to immediately sign with Boavista FC.[15]

Simão moved teams and countries again in January 2019, agreeing to a contract at Royal Antwerp F.C. of the Belgian First Division A.[16] On 22 June, he switched to the Super League Greece with AEK Athens FC, signing until 2022 for an undisclosed fee.[17]

In February 2020, Simão was loaned to Israeli Premier League side Hapoel Be'er Sheva FC. He and compatriots Miguel Vítor and Josué Pesqueira won the Israeli State Cup on 13 July with a 2–0 final victory over Hapoel Petah Tikva FC.[18]

Personal life

Simão's older brother, Bruno, was also a footballer, in the defender position.[19]

Club statistics

As of 22 June 2019[20]

Club	Season	League		Cup		League Cup		Europe		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Fátima	2009–10	25	5	2	0	2	0	-		29	5
Paços Ferreira	2010–11	25	0	1	0	6	1	-		32	1
Benfica	2011–12	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Académica		11	1	0	0	0	0	-		11	1
Marítimo	2012–13	24	4	3	0	2	0	6	0	35	4
Arouca	2013–14	29	4	3	1	0	0	-		32	5
	2014–15	32	3	1	0	3	0	-		36	3
	2015–16	18	4	3	0	2	0	-		23	4
	Total	79	11	7	1	5	0	-		91	12
CSKA Sofia	2016–17	22	3	0	0	-		-		22	3
	2017–18	2	0	0	0	-		-		2	0
	Total	24	3	0	0	-		-		24	3
Boavista	2017–18	27	1	0	0	0	0	-		27	1
	2018–19	13	1	2	0	1	0	-		16	1
	Total	40	2	2	0	1	0	-		43	2
Antwerp	2018–19	12	0	0	0	0	0	-		12	0
Career total		240	26	17	1	16	1	6	0	277	28

Honours

Académica

• Taça de Portugal: 2011–12[21]

Hapoel Be'er Sheva

• Israel State Cup: 2019–20[18]

Individual

• SJPF Young Player of the Month: December 2012, January 2013[22]

References

1. "David Simão" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
2. "Jovens da formação confirmados na pré-época" [Youth system players confirmed in pre-season]. Record (in Portuguese). 9 June 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
3. "Benfica: Léo falha Taça por lesão; Katsouranis volta após castigo" [Benfica: Léo misses Cup due to injury; Katsouranis returns after penalty] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 18 January 2008. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
4. "Benfica em campo "por Camacho"" [Benfica take the field "for Camacho"]. Expresso (in Portuguese). 6 March 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
5. "Santa Clara 1 – Fátima 0 MINUTO A MINUTO" [Santa Clara 1 – Fátima 0 MINUTE BY MINUTE]. Açoriano Oriental (in Portuguese). 16 August 2009. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
6. "Gil Vicente-Fátima, 1–1: Oportunidade perdida" [Gil Vicente-Fátima, 1–1: Missed chance]. Record (in Portuguese). 26 September 2009. Archived from the original on 10 April 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
7. "Benfica empresta promessa ao Paços de Ferreira" [Benfica loan prospect to Paços de Ferreira] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 18 June 2010. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
8. "Paços de Ferreira 1–0 Sporting (final)" [Paços de Ferreira 1–0 Sporting (end)] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 14 August 2010. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
9. "Benfica empresta David Simão à Académica" [Benfica loan David Simão to Académica] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 17 January 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
10. "Braga seize title race initiative" (in Portuguese). PortuGOAL. 26 March 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
11. "Benfica empresta David Simão ao Maritimo" [Benfica loan David Simão to Maritimo]. A Bola (in Portuguese). 31 July 2012. Archived from the original on 2 August 2012. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
12. "Arouca: David Simão é reforço por três épocas" [David Simão is an addition for three seasons] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 26 June 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
13. "Bulgária: David Simão bisa e CSKA vence Levski" [Bulgária: David Simão scores brace and CSKA beat Levski] (in Portuguese). Record. 28 May 2017. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
14. "Давид Симао вече не е част от ЦСКА" [David Simão is no longer part of CSKA] (in Bulgarian). CSKA Sofia. 31 August 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
15. "David Simão assina pelo Boavista" [David Simão signs for Boavista] (in Portuguese). Boavista F.C. 31 August 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
16. "Antwerp zonder onmisbare pion tegen Standard" [Antwerp without an indispensable pawn against Standard] (in Dutch). Voetbal Nieuws. 25 January 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
17. "David Simao joins AEK FC until 2022". AEK Athens. 22 June 2019. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
18. "VÍDEO: Josué, Miguel Vítor e David Simão vencem Taça de Israel" [VIDEO: Josué, Miguel Vítor and David Simão win the Israeli Cup] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 13 July 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
19. "Bruno Simão está há seis anos no estrangeiro e não pensa em regressar" [Bruno Simão has been abroad for six years and he does not think of coming back] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 13 May 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
20. "David Simão". Soccerway. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
21. "Académica shock Sporting to lift Portuguese Cup". PortuGOAL. 19 May 2012. Archived from the original on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
22. "David Simão recebeu prémio de melhor jogador jovem" [David Simão receives award for best young player]. A Bola (in Portuguese). 10 February 2013. Archived from the original on 12 February 2013. Retrieved 13 February 2013.

External links

• David Simão at ForaDeJogo
• National team data (in Portuguese)