Lito (Cape Verdean footballer)
Cláudio Zélito da Fonseca Fernandes Aguiar (born 3 February 1975), known as Lito, is a Cape Verdean retired footballer who played mainly as a forward.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Cláudio Zélito da Fonseca Fernandes Aguiar | ||
| Date of birth | 3 February 1975 | ||
| Place of birth | Pedra Badejo, Cape Verde | ||
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Sporting Torre | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1996–1998 | Águias Camarate | ||
| 1998–1999 | Fafe | 27 | (5) |
| 1999–2000 | Espinho | 26 | (2) |
| 2000–2002 | Imortal | 61 | (17) |
| 2002–2003 | Maia | 33 | (11) |
| 2003–2005 | Moreirense | 62 | (7) |
| 2005–2007 | Naval | 60 | (11) |
| 2007–2010 | Académica | 80 | (20) |
| 2010–2011 | Portimonense | 22 | (3) |
| 2011–2012 | Arouca | 1 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | Atlético | 22 | (1) |
| 2013–2014 | Pinhalnovense | 24 | (4) |
| Total | 418 | (81) | |
| National team | |||
| 2002–2012 | Cape Verde | 47 | (7) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only | |||
He amassed Primeira Liga totals of 224 matches and 41 goals over eight seasons, representing in the competition Moreirense, Naval, Académica and Portimonense.
Club career
Born in Pedra Badejo, Santiago, Lito spent his entire football career in Portugal, playing at nearly every level. He started out with Grupo Desportivo Águias de Camarate in the regional leagues of Lisbon, going on to represent AD Fafe, S.C. Espinho, Imortal D.C. and F.C. Maia.
In the 2003–04 season, at the age of 28, Lito made his Primeira Liga debut, with Moreirense FC. After suffering relegation in his second year he stayed in that level, signing for Associação Naval 1º de Maio.
Aged 32, Lito joined Académica de Coimbra, enjoying his best seasons in his first two years (a combined 17 league goals, including a hat-trick in a 3–3 home draw against C.F. Estrela da Amadora on 4 November 2007).[1] After still being an important attacking unit in the 2009–10 campaign, again helping the Students retain their top division status, he moved to freshly promoted club Portimonense S.C. for an undisclosed fee.[2]
Lito retired in 2014, after one-season spells with F.C. Arouca, Atlético Clube de Portugal (both in the Segunda Liga) and C.D. Pinhalnovense (third tier).[3] He later worked as a manager, with Sporting Clube da Praia in his native island.[4]
References
- "Académica-E. Amadora, 3–3 (ficha)" [Académica-E. Amadora, 3–3 (match sheet)] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 4 November 2007. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- "Lito regressa ao Algarve" [Lito returns to Algarve]. A Bola (in Portuguese). 5 July 2010. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2010.
- ""Tubarão" Lito despede-se dos relvados aos 39 anos" ["Shark" Lito says goodbye to pitches at the age of 39] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 12 May 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- "Sporting da Praia sagra-se campeão regional de Santiago Sul" [Sporting da Praia crowned South Santiago regional champions] (in Portuguese). Inforpress. 7 April 2017. Archived from the original on 8 April 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
