Gonçalo Inácio Explained

Gonçalo Inácio
Full Name:Gonçalo Bernardo Inácio[1]
Birth Date:25 August 2001
Birth Place:Almada, Portugal
Height:1.85 m
Position:Centre-back
Currentclub:Sporting CP
Clubnumber:25
Youthyears1:2010–2012
Youthclubs1:Almada
Youthyears2:2012–2020
Youthclubs2:Sporting CP
Years1:2020–
Caps1:115
Goals1:7
Nationalyears1:2017
Nationalcaps1:1
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2019
Nationalcaps2:8
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:2019
Nationalcaps3:3
Nationalgoals3:0
Nationalyears4:2019
Nationalcaps4:1
Nationalgoals4:0
Nationalyears5:2021–2022
Nationalcaps5:6
Nationalgoals5:1
Nationalyears6:2023–
Nationalcaps6:11
Nationalgoals6:2
Club-Update:13:50, 21 August 2024 (UTC)
Nationalteam-Update:20:53, 26 June 2024 (UTC)

Gonçalo Bernardo Inácio (pronounced as /pt/; born 25 August 2001) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Primeira Liga club Sporting CP and the Portugal national team.

Early life

Inácio was born in Almada, Setúbal District and raised in Seixal, a municipality located 34.2km (21.3miles) away. Growing up, he would play football wherever he could on the streets or in his house, and regularly attended Sporting CP matches with his father.[2]

Despite not having a particular idol, Inácio looked to emulate Jérémy Mathieu.[2]

Club career

Inácio began his career at local Almada, before moving to Sporting's academy. Prior to this, he had several trials with crosstown rivals Benfica, but ultimately decided not to join them when his father's car broke down on two occasions when he was being taken to training.[3] On 13 January 2018, he signed his first professional contract at the age of 16.[4]

Inácio had his first call-up to the first team on 6 July 2020, remaining unused in a goalless draw at Moreirense in the Primeira Liga;[5] he would initially struggle to be integrated, due to being reserved by nature, but managed to succeed with the help of manager Rúben Amorim and his teammates Nuno Mendes, Eduardo Quaresma and Tiago Tomás, whom he had befriended during his time in the youth sides.[2] He made his debut in a 2–0 away win against Portimonense on 4 October, as a 62nd-minute substitute for Zouhair Feddal.[6]

On 20 March 2021, Inácio scored his first goal, heading home from close range in the 1–0 home victory over Vitória de Guimarães.[7] On 23 January, he provided the assist for Pedro Porro in a 1–0 defeat of Braga to help his club win the Taça da Liga; his performance in the match impressed Amorim, with the player eventually surpassing Luís Neto in the pecking order.[8] He played 20 times in the domestic league for the eventual champions, ending a 19-year drought.[9]

Inácio was named defender of the month for December 2021.[10] The following 29 January, his second-half header helped his team come from behind to defeat Benfica 2–1 in the league cup final.[11] On 1 April, he agreed to an extension until 2026.[12]

On 12 November 2023, in the Derby de Lisboa against Benfica at the Estádio da Luz, Inácio was sent off after receiving a second yellow card at the start of the second half; Sporting went on to lose 2–1.[13] On 14 December, in their final UEFA Europa League group game, at home to Sturm Graz, he came off the bench at half-time and scored twice in ten minutes to seal a 3–0 victory.[14]

International career

Inácio represented Portugal at under-17, under-18, under-19, under-20 and under-21 levels, for a total of 19 caps.[15] He was called up to the senior side by Fernando Santos on 26 August 2021, for 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Azerbaijan and the Republic of Ireland and a friendly with Qatar.[16] Four days later, however, he was dropped from the squad after picking up an injury on his left thigh.[17]

On 12 November 2021, Inácio made his under-21 debut, playing the entire 1–0 win in Cyprus in the 2023 UEFA European Championship qualifying stage.[18] He scored his first goal in the reverse fixture four days later, in a 6–0 rout in Faro.[19]

In October 2022, Inácio was named in a preliminary 55-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.[20] His first appearance took place on 23 March 2023, when he played the entire 4–0 victory over Liechtenstein in the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers which was the first game in charge of new manager Roberto Martínez.[21] On 11 September, still during that stage, he scored his first and second goals in a 9–0 home defeat of Luxembourg, Portugal's biggest win in international history.[22]

Inácio was selected for the Euro 2024 finals.[23] In the team's opening match against the Czech Republic, he replaced Diogo Dalot in the 63rd minute of the 2–1 comeback win.[24] He also featured 90 minutes of the final group fixture, a 2–0 loss to Georgia,[25] in a quarter-final elimination against France.[26]

Style of play

Inácio has been predominantly deployed as a central defender, but can also play as a left-back and a midfielder due to his attributes.[27] [28] [29] [30] He is noted for his anticipation, composure, decisions, positioning, tackling and passing ability, including long-range passes which enables him to break down attacks and subsequently play the ball out or start offensive plays from the back, as well as for his acceleration, agility and pace.[31] [32] [33]

Personal life

Inácio was a Sporting fan since he was a child, and his brother Rodrigo was born with a disability. The former considered himself a shy person who did not feel comfortable posting about himself on social media; his favourite hobbies were playing street football and the PlayStation alone or with friends.[2] [34] [35]

Career statistics

Club

Club!rowspan="2"
SeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Sporting CP2020–21Primeira Liga201213000—252
2021–22Primeira Liga28450417010455
2022–23Primeira Liga3311062121—524
2023–24Primeira Liga321503093—494
2024–25Primeira Liga200000001131
Career total11571311632842117416

International

[36]

Appearances and goals by national team and year!National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals
Portugal202352
202460
Total112

Portugal score listed first, score column indicates score after each Inácio goal.

List of international goals scored by Gonçalo Inácio! No. !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition
1. 11 September 2023 Estádio Algarve, Faro/Loulé, Portugal 1–0 9–0 UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying
2. 4–0

Honours

Sporting CP

2020–21,[9] 2023–24[37]

2020–21,[38] 2021–22[11]

2021[39]

Individual

November 2021[44]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Gonçalo Inácio. Mais Futebol. pt. 11 February 2021.
  2. News: "Já não consigo ir passear o cão à rua sem se juntar uma multidão". "I can no longer walk the dog without gathering a crowd". Diário de Notícias. Isaura. Almeida. pt. 27 May 2021. 1 November 2021.
  3. News: Inácio e as duas avarias que o 'tiraram'... do Benfica: "Também não gostava de estar lá". Inacio and the two breakdowns that 'took him' ... from Benfica: "I didn't like to be there either". Record. pt. 9 December 2021. 13 December 2021.
  4. News: Gonçalo Inácio assinou contrato profissional. Gonçalo Inácio signed a professional contract. Record. André. Ferreira. pt. 13 January 2018. 4 October 2020.
  5. News: Muitas novidades no onze do Sporting para o jogo com o Moreirense. Many new faces in Sporting's XI for the game with Moreirense. O Jogo. pt. 6 July 2020. 8 January 2021.
  6. News: Inácio com estreia impetuosa. Inácio with fiery debut. Record. pt. 6 October 2020. 8 January 2021.
  7. News: Sporting subiu mais um degrau. Sporting further up the ladder. Público. David. Andrade. pt. 20 March 2021. 22 March 2021.
  8. Web site: Gonçalo Inácio convence Rúben Amorim e espreita nova oportunidade. Gonçalo Inácio convinces Rúben Amorim and waits for new chance. Notícias ao Minuto. Carlos. Pereira Fernandes. pt. 4 February 2021. 31 October 2021.
  9. Web site: 10 reasons why Sporting are Champions of Portugal. PortuGOAL. Tom. Kundert. 11 May 2021. 25 May 2021.
  10. News: Gonçalo Inácio foi o melhor jogador jovem em novembro. Gonçalo Inácio was the best young player in November. Record. pt. 17 December 2021. 24 January 2022.
  11. Web site: Sporting defend their Taça da Liga title in second-half turnaround versus Benfica. PortuGOAL. Patrick. Ribeiro. 29 January 2022. 30 January 2022.
  12. Web site: Gonçalo Inácio é Leão até 2026. Gonçalo Inácio a Lion until 2026. Sporting CP. pt. 1 April 2022. 10 April 2022.
  13. Web site: Há reviravoltas e depois há isto. Benfica vira e vence Sporting na compensação. There are comebacks and then there is this. Benfica turn it around and beat Sporting in injury time. TSF. Rui. Oliveira Costa. pt. 12 November 2023. 13 November 2023.
  14. News: Um bis em 10 minutos: Gonçalo Inácio apanhou-lhe o jeito diante do Sturm Graz. A brace in 10 minutes: Gonçalo Inácio got the hang of it against Sturm Graz. Record. pt. 14 December 2023. 14 December 2023.
  15. News: Gonçalo Inácio dispensado da seleção devido a problemas físicos. Gonçalo Inácio released by the national team due to physical problems. Expresso. pt. 30 August 2021. 31 October 2021.
  16. Web site: Otávio e Gonçalo Inácio convocados por Fernando Santos. Otávio and Gonçalo Inácio called by Fernando Santos. Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. Mário. Aleixo. pt. 26 August 2021. 31 October 2021.
  17. Web site: Seleção: Gonçalo Inácio dispensado por lesão. National team: Gonçalo Inácio released due to injury. Mais Futebol. pt. 30 August 2021. 4 November 2021.
  18. News: Portugal embalado pela magia de Vitinha e a eficácia de Ramos. Portugal propelled by Vitinha magic and Ramos efficiency. Público. pt. 12 November 2021. 16 November 2021.
  19. Web site: Portugal goleia Chipre e lidera corrida ao Euro sub-21. Portugal rout Cyprus and lead under-21 Euro race. Rádio Renascença. pt. 16 November 2021. 16 November 2021.
  20. News: A lista de pré-convocados da Seleção para o Mundial'2022: conheça todos os nomes. The pre-selected for the 2022 World Cup: know all the names. Record. pt. 23 October 2022. 31 October 2022.
  21. Web site: Ronaldo at the double as Portugal beat Liechtenstein 4–0 in the Euro 2024 qualifiers. PortuGOAL. Matthew. Marshall. 23 March 2023. 23 March 2023.
  22. Web site: Portugal 9–0 Luxemburgo (crónica). Portugal 9–0 Luxembourg (report). Mais Futebol. Pedro. Lemos. pt. 11 September 2023. 11 September 2023.
  23. News: Portugal’s Euro 2024 squad: Pedro Neto one of nine Premier League players included, Matheus Nunes left out. The New York Times. Tim. Spiers. 21 May 2024. 21 May 2024.
  24. Web site: Portugal 2–1 Czech Republic. BBC Sport. Gary. Rose. 18 June 2024. 7 July 2024.
  25. Web site: Georgia 2–0 Portugal. BBC Sport. Adam. Millington. 26 June 2024. 7 July 2024.
  26. Web site: Portugal 0–0 France (France win 5–3 on pens). BBC Sport. Emma. Sanders. 5 July 2024. 7 July 2024.
  27. News: Rúben Amorim inspira-se em Guardiola: Gonçalo Inácio foi médio com o Marítimo. Rúben Amorim takes inspiration from Guardiola: Gonçalo Inácio played midfielder with Marítimo. Record. João. Soares Ribeiro. Ricardo. Granada. pt. 16 July 2023. 2 November 2023.
  28. Web site: Rúben Amorim comenta interesse do Manchester United, Gyokeres feliz pelo hat-trick. Rúben Amorim talks about Manchester United interest, Gyokeres happy with hat-trick. SAPO. pt. 2 November 2023. 2 November 2023.
  29. Web site: Ruben Amorim explica Gonçalo Inácio no meio-campo. Ruben Amorim explains Gonçalo Inácio in midfield. CNN Portugal. pt. 2 November 2023. 2 November 2023.
  30. News: "Gonçalo Inácio a médio é boa aposta de Amorim". "Gonçalo Inácio at midfielder is a good bet by Amorim". Observador. Mário. Cagica. pt. 2 November 2023. 2 November 2023.
  31. News: Inteligência Artificial coloca Gonçalo Inácio entre os melhores jovens centrais da Europa. Artificial Intelligence puts Gonçalo Inácio amongst Europe's best young stoppers. Record. pt. 18 February 2022. 16 August 2023.
  32. Web site: Goncalo Inacio: Nicknamed 'The Portuguese Boss' – He's the next big defensive transfer target for elite clubs. Foot The Ball. Arnold. Lewis. 18 August 2022. 16 August 2023.
  33. News: Sporting-Genk: Análise individual e jogadores em destaque. Sporting-Genk: Individual analysis and highlighted players. A Bola. Rui. Baioneta. pt. 19 July 2023. 17 August 2023.
  34. Web site: Gonçalo Inácio: "Queria era ser guarda-redes mas o meu pai não deixou". Gonçalo Inácio: "What I really wanted to be was a goalkeeper but my father did not let me". SAPO. pt. 10 December 2021. 3 November 2023.
  35. Web site: ADN de Leão Episódio 48: Gonçalo Inácio. Lion DNA Episode 48: Gonçalo Inácio. YouTube. pt. 28 September 2023.
  36. Web site: Gonçalo Inácio. EU-Football.info. 23 March 2023.
  37. Web site: Seven reasons Sporting are champions of Portugal. PortuGOAL. Tom. Kundert. 6 May 2024. 6 May 2024.
  38. Web site: Sporting battle their way to League Cup glory with victory over Braga. PortuGOAL. Patrick. Ribeiro. 23 January 2021. 11 February 2021.
  39. Web site: Sporting CP win Supertaça with victory over SC Braga. Sporting CP. 31 July 2021. 31 July 2021.
  40. Web site: Jota Silva fecha o 'Onze do Ano' da Primeira Liga. Jota Silva completes the First League's 'All-Star Team'. SAPO. pt. 13 June 2024. 14 June 2024.
  41. Web site: Gonçalo Inácio named Defender of the Month in Liga Portugal Betclic for December. Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional. 16 January 2024. 16 January 2024.
  42. Web site: Gonçalo Inácio seals his second Defender of the Month award in Liga Portugal Betclic. Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional. 12 February 2024. 14 February 2024.
  43. News: Gonçalo Inácio eleito o melhor defesa da Liga em abril. Gonçalo Inácio voted best League defender in April. Jornal de Notícias. pt. 13 May 2024. 15 May 2024.
  44. News: Gonçalo Inácio foi o melhor jogador jovem em novembro. Gonçalo Inácio was the best young player in November. Record. pt. 17 December 2021. 6 May 2024.

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