Nené (footballer, born 1979) explained

Nené
Fullname:Adriano Barbosa Miranda da Luz[1]
Birth Date:24 August 1979
Birth Place:Lisbon, Portugal
Height:1.86 m
Position:Midfielder
Youthyears1:1989–1991
Youthclubs1:Águias da Póvoa
Youthyears2:1991–1994
Youthclubs2:Ponte Frielas
Youthyears3:1994–1997
Youthclubs3:Odivelas
Youthyears4:1997–1998
Youthclubs4:Boavista
Years1:1998–1999
Caps1:25
Goals1:2
Years2:1999–2000
Caps2:35
Goals2:2
Years3:2000–2002
Caps3:45
Goals3:5
Years4:2002
Caps4:11
Goals4:2
Years5:2002–2005
Caps5:38
Goals5:0
Years6:2004
Clubs6:Çaykur Rizespor (loan)
Caps6:5
Goals6:0
Years7:2004–2005
Clubs7:Aves (loan)
Caps7:31
Goals7:3
Years8:2005–2006
Caps8:5
Goals8:0
Years9:2006
Clubs9:Aves (loan)
Caps9:13
Goals9:3
Years10:2006–2007
Caps10:18
Goals10:1
Years11:2007
Years12:2008
Caps12:12
Goals12:0
Years13:2009
Caps13:18
Goals13:0
Years14:2009–2010
Caps14:9
Goals14:0
Years15:2010–2012
Caps15:49
Goals15:0
Years16:2012–2013
Caps16:47
Goals16:1
Years17:2014
Caps17:14
Goals17:2
Years18:2014–2019
Caps18:159
Goals18:20
Totalcaps:534
Totalgoals:41
Nationalyears1:2004–2008
Nationalcaps1:14
Nationalgoals1:0

Adriano Barbosa Miranda da Luz (born 24 August 1979), commonly known as Nené, is a Cape Verdean former professional footballer who played as a central midfielder.

Club career

Born in the capital Lisbon, Nené spent most of his professional career in Portugal. After starting out in the lower leagues, he signed in early 2002 with Primeira Liga club S.C. Braga from Gondomar SC,[2] 31 of his 38 league games with the Minho team coming in the 2002–03 season, in a 14th-place finish.[3]

After definitively leaving Braga (which also loaned him twice during his spell), Nené signed with U.D. Leiria which in turn loaned him to C.D. Aves, with the latter side promoting to the top division at the end of 2005–06. The move was subsequently made permanent, and the player was relatively used the following campaign – 1,131 minutes, one goal in a 2–1 away loss against Boavista FC,[4] whom he had represented as a youth – which ended in immediate relegation.

Nené rarely settled in the following years, playing in Kuwait, Cyprus, Spain and Romania. In 2010–11, aged 31, he returned to his birth nation and joined F.C. Arouca, promoted for the first time ever to the second tier. On 12 July 2012, he switched to S.C. Covilhã of the same league.[5]

In the summer of 2014, following a brief spell with F.C. Famalicão, Nené moved to the lower leagues with Vilaverdense FC, going on to retire well past his 30s.[6] [7]

International career

Nené was part of the Cape Verde squad which progressed to the second stage of the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, appearing in six out of 12 possible matches. The national team finished second bottom in their group, failing to qualify for both the competition in Germany and the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Nené. Mais Futebol. pt. 4 April 2020.
  2. News: Nené promete disputar lugar com Glauber. Nené promises to fight for a place with Glauber. Record. pt. 22 August 2002. 2 June 2024.
  3. News: Jesualdo regressa a uma casa que ajudou a crescer. Jesualdo returns to a home he helped grow. Record. pt. 6 June 2013. 2 June 2024.
  4. News: Boavista-Aves, 2–1 (Ricardo Silva 74, Linz 90+2; Nené 9). Record. pt. 4 November 2006. 13 December 2017.
  5. Web site: Nené chegou a acordo por uma época. Nené agreed to one season. SAPO. pt. 12 July 2012. 4 April 2020.
  6. News: Vilaverdense em Alvalade para "continuar a fazer história". Vilaverdense at Alvalade to "keep making history". Diário de Notícias. Carlos. Nogueira. pt. 12 December 2017. 5 April 2020.
  7. News: Nené continua no Vilaverdense FC. Nené continues in Vilaverdense FC. Desportivo Vale do Homem. António. Sepúlveda. pt. 20 June 2018. 5 April 2020.