Babanco Explained

Babanco
Fullname:Elvis Manuel Monteiro Macedo[1]
Birth Date:27 July 1985
Birth Place:Praia, Cape Verde
Years1:2007–2009
Years2:2009–2010
Years3:2010–2012
Caps3:54
Goals3:7
Years4:2012–2013
Caps4:22
Goals4:0
Years5:2013–2016
Caps5:61
Goals5:0
Years6:2016–2017
Caps6:7
Goals6:0
Years7:2017–2019
Caps7:67
Goals7:4
Years8:2019–2020
Caps8:1
Goals8:0
Years9:2020–2024
Caps9:61
Goals9:3
Nationalyears1:2007–2019
Nationalcaps1:62
Nationalgoals1:5
Club-Update:5 July 2024

Elvis Manuel Monteiro Macedo (born 27 July 1985), known as Babanco, is a Cape Verdean professional footballer who plays as a midfielder.

He spent most of his career in Portugal, making exactly 150 appearances in the Primeira Liga for Olhanense, Estoril and Feirense.

Babanco earned a record 62 caps for Cape Verde from 2007 to 2019, representing the country at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2013 and 2015.

Club career

Born in Praia, Babanco started playing football with local Sporting Clube da Praia. In 2009, he moved to another club in his hometown, Boavista FC.

In the 2010–11 season, Babanco signed with F.C. Arouca in Portugal, which was competing for the first time ever in the Segunda Liga. He was first choice during his two-year spell, with the Aveiro District side consecutively managing to retain their league status.

On 5 June 2012, Babanco signed a two-year deal with Primeira Liga club S.C. Olhanense.[2] A year later, he made his way to G.D. Estoril Praia on a free transfer, valid until 2016.[3]

After starting the season with AEL Limassol in the Cypriot First Division, Babanco rescinded his contract and returned to Portugal's top flight on 24 January 2017 on an 18-month deal at C.D. Feirense.[4] He scored his first goal in the division on 3 March 2018 to open a 3–0 home win against Boavista FC.[5]

Babanco joined G.D. Chaves of the second tier on 2 September 2019, with the 34-year-old agreeing to a one-year contract.[6] He made only two competitive appearances during his spell at the Estádio Municipal Eng. Manuel Branco Teixeira, and subsequently moved to the lower leagues with U.D. Leiria.[7] [8]

International career

Babanco made his senior international debut for Cape Verde on 9 September 2007, in a 4–0 away victory over Guinea in 2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualification. On 7 December he scored his first goal to equalise in a 1–1 draw with hosts Guinea-Bissau in the 2007 edition of the Amílcar Cabral Cup.[9] On 24 May 2010, he appeared in a friendly in Covilhã with Portugal – who were preparing for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa – playing 60 minutes as the minnows (ranked 117th) managed a 0–0 draw.[10]

Babanco was chosen for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations – his country's first major tournament – where they were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Ghana.[11] He was also called up two years later for the tournament in Equatorial Guinea.[12]

International goals

(Cape Verde score listed first, score column indicates score after each Babanco goal)[13]

No Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 7 December 2007 align=center 1–1 align=center 1–1 2007 Amílcar Cabral Cup
2. 7 June 2008 align=center 1–0 align=center 1–0 2010 World Cup qualification
3. 28 March 2009 align=center 2–0 align=center 5–0 Friendly
4. 26 March 2011 Várzea, Praia, Cape Verde align=center 2–0 align=center 4–2 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
5. 13 June 2015 Várzea, Praia, Cape Verde align=center 5–0 align=center 7–1 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Babanco. Mais Futebol. pt. 6 October 2021. 6 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211006175413/https://maisfutebol.iol.pt/babanco/estoril/1591-63-18576. live.
  2. Web site: Olhanense: Babanco é o primeiro reforço. Olhanense: Babanco is the first addition. Mais Futebol. Jorge. Anjinho. pt. 5 June 2012. 24 November 2021. 24 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211124163920/https://maisfutebol.iol.pt/olhanense-babanco-e-o-primeiro-reforco. live.
  3. Web site: Estoril-Praia confirma contratação de Babanco por três temporadas. Estoril-Praia confirm signing of Babanco for three seasons. SAPO. pt. 2 June 2013. 24 November 2021. 24 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211124163921/https://desporto.sapo.pt/futebol/primeira-liga/artigos/estoril-praia-confirma-contratacao-de-babanco-por-tres-temporadas. live.
  4. News: Babanco é o primeiro reforço de inverno. Babanco is the first winter signing. Record. pt. 24 January 2017. 24 November 2021. 24 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211124163920/https://www.record.pt/futebol/futebol-nacional/2--liga/feirense/detalhe/babanco-e-o-primeiro-reforco-de-inverno. live.
  5. Web site: Boavista perde na Feira e vê fugir o sonho europeu. Boavista lose in Feira and see their European dream escape. Jornalismo Porto Net. Eduardo. Soares da Silva. pt. 4 March 2018. 24 November 2021. 24 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211124163925/https://www.jpn.up.pt/2018/03/04/boavista-perde-na-feira-ve-fugir-sonho-europeu/. live.
  6. News: Babanco assina pelo Desportivo de Chaves. Babanco signs for Desportivo de Chaves. Expresso das Ilhas. pt. 3 September 2019. 18 May 2022. 3 October 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231003050428/https://expressodasilhas.cv/desporto/2019/09/03/babanco-assina-pelo-desportivo-de-chaves/65517. live.
  7. Web site: Babanco é reforço. Babanco is addition. U.D. Leiria. pt. 6 October 2020. 18 May 2022. 25 September 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220925085548/https://www.uniaodeleiria.pt/babanco-udleiria/. live.
  8. Web site: Antes de terminar a carreira, Babanco quer voltar à II Liga com a União de Leiria. Before ending career, Babanco wants to return to the II League with União de Leiria. Rádio Renascença. Eduardo. Soares da Silva. pt. 11 January 2022. 18 May 2022. 18 May 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220518171657/https://rr.sapo.pt/bola-branca/especial/futebol-nacional/2022/01/11/antes-de-terminar-a-carreira-babanco-quer-voltar-a-ii-liga-com-a-uniao-de-leiria/267728/. live.
  9. Web site: Elvis Manuel Monteiro Macedo "Babanco" – International Appearances. RSSSF. Roberto. Mamrud. 19 October 2021. 10 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220710163252/https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/babanco-intl.html. live.
  10. News: Portugal held to 0–0 draw by Cape Verde. USA Today. 24 May 2010. 28 June 2010. 23 June 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110623060630/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2010-05-24-2037303516_x.htm. live.
  11. Web site: Wakaso puts Ghana in semis as Cape Verde bow out. Eurosport. 2 February 2013. 24 November 2021.
  12. Web site: Cardoso da Silva: "Convocatória é correcta para Cabo Verde alcançar um bom resultado". Cardoso da Silva: "The squad is right for Cape Verde to achieve a good result". Radio France Internationale. Marco. Martins. pt. 24 December 2014. 24 November 2021. 24 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211124165128/https://www.rfi.fr/pt/africa/20141224-cardoso-da-silva-convocatoria-e-correcta-para-cabo-verde-alcancar-um-bom-resultado. live.
  13. Web site: Babanco – Matches. Soccerway. 22 May 2017. 3 January 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160103074108/http://int.soccerway.com/players/-babanco/131952/matches/. live.