Lito (Cape Verdean footballer) explained

Lito
Fullname:Cláudio Zélito da Fonseca Fernandes Aguiar
Birth Date:3 February 1975
Birth Place:Pedra Badejo, Cape Verde
Height:1.70NaN0
Position:Forward
Youthclubs1:Sporting Torre
Years1:1996–1998
Years2:1998–1999
Years3:1999–2000
Years4:2000–2002
Years5:2002–2003
Years6:2003–2005
Years7:2005–2007
Years8:2007–2010
Years9:2010–2011
Years10:2011–2012
Years11:2012–2013
Years12:2013–2014
Clubs1:Águias Camarate
Clubs9:Portimonense
Clubs10:Arouca
Clubs11:Atlético
Clubs12:Pinhalnovense
Caps2:27
Caps3:26
Caps4:61
Caps5:33
Caps6:62
Caps7:60
Caps8:80
Caps9:22
Caps10:1
Caps11:22
Caps12:24
Totalcaps:418
Goals2:5
Goals3:2
Goals4:17
Goals5:11
Goals6:7
Goals7:11
Goals8:20
Goals9:3
Goals10:0
Goals11:1
Goals12:4
Totalgoals:81
Nationalyears1:2002–2012
Nationalteam1:Cape Verde
Nationalcaps1:47
Nationalgoals1:7

Cláudio Zélito da Fonseca Fernandes Aguiar (born 3 February 1975), known as Lito, is a Cape Verdean retired professional footballer who played predominantly as a forward.

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]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Académica-E. Amadora, 3–3 (ficha). Académica-E. Amadora, 3–3 (match sheet). Mais Futebol. Portuguese. 4 November 2007. 13 August 2019.
  2. News: Lito regressa ao Algarve. Lito returns to Algarve. A Bola. Portuguese. 5 July 2010. 5 July 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20160303223849/http://abola.pt/nnh/ver.aspx?id=212979. 3 March 2016. dead.
  3. Web site: "Tubarão" Lito despede-se dos relvados aos 39 anos. "Shark" Lito says goodbye to pitches at the age of 39. SAPO. Portuguese. 12 May 2014. 13 August 2019.
  4. Web site: Sporting da Praia sagra-se campeão regional de Santiago Sul. Sporting da Praia crowned South Santiago regional champions. Inforpress. Portuguese. 7 April 2017. 1 September 2017. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20170408082005/http://www.inforpress.publ.cv/blog/2017/04/futebol-sporting-da-praia-sagra-se-campeao-regional-de-santiago-sul/. 8 April 2017.