João Mário (footballer, born 2000) explained

João Mário
Full Name:João Mário Neto Lopes[1]
Birth Date:3 January 2000
Birth Place:São João da Madeira, Portugal
Height:1.78 m
Position:Right-back, winger
Currentclub:Porto
Clubnumber:23
Youthyears1:2008–2009
Youthclubs1:Sanjoanense
Youthyears2:2009–2019
Youthclubs2:Porto
Youthyears3:2015–2016
Youthclubs3:Padroense (loan)
Years1:2018–2021
Caps1:40
Goals1:5
Years2:2020–
Caps2:89
Goals2:5
Nationalyears1:2018
Nationalcaps1:2
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2018–2019
Nationalcaps2:19
Nationalgoals2:2
Nationalyears3:2019
Nationalcaps3:6
Nationalgoals3:1
Nationalyears4:2020–2022
Nationalcaps4:15
Nationalgoals4:1
Nationalyears5:2023–
Nationalcaps5:3
Nationalgoals5:0
Club-Update:21:36, 18 May 2024 (UTC)
Nationalteam-Update:21:46, 21 March 2024 (UTC)

João Mário Neto Lopes (born 3 January 2000), known as João Mário, is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a right-back or winger for Primeira Liga club Porto and the Portugal national team.

Club career

Born in São João da Madeira, João Mário began at hometown club A.D. Sanjoanense before joining the ranks of FC Porto at the age of 9.[2] On 7 October 2018, while still a junior, he made his professional debut with the reserve team in a LigaPro match against F.C. Arouca, coming on for Tiago Matos for the last 11 minutes of a 1–0 home loss.[3] The following 5 January, he scored his first goal in a 2–2 draw with S.L. Benfica B also at the Estádio Dr. Jorge Sampaio.[4]

On 10 June 2020, João Mário had his first call-up to Porto's first team, remaining unused as they won 1–0 at home to C.S. Marítimo.[5] He debuted on 15 July as they won the Primeira Liga title with a 2–0 win over Sporting CP also at the Estádio do Dragão, playing the last five minutes in place of Luis Díaz.[6] On 1 August he was on the bench in the 2–1 defeat of S.L. Benfica in the final of the Taça de Portugal, securing a double.[7] [8]

João Mário was eventually reconverted by manager Sérgio Conceição into a right-back.[9] [10]

International career

João Mário won his first cap for Portugal at under-21 level on 4 September 2020, and scored in the 4–0 away victory against Cyprus for the 2021 UEFA European Championship qualifiers.[11]

On 13 November 2023, João Mário was called up by the senior team for the first time, replacing Diogo Dalot (who withdrew for personal reasons) in the squad that would face Liechtenstein and Iceland in UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying matches.[12] Three days later, he made his debut by replacing João Cancelo late into a 2–0 away win over the former.[13] He made his first start on the 19th, in a 2–0 defeat of the latter at the Estádio José Alvalade.[14]

Career statistics

Club

Club!rowspan="2"
SeasonLeagueTaça de PortugalTaça da LigaEuropeOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Porto B2018–19Liga Portugal 2184184
2019–20Liga Portugal 2180180
2020–21Liga Portugal 24141
Total405405
Porto2019–20Primeira Liga2000000020
2020–21Primeira Liga14230202000212
2021–22Primeira Liga280300080390
2022–23Primeira Liga18130605010331
2023–24Primeira Liga27270108010442
2024–25Primeira Liga000000001010
Total89516090230301405
Career total12910160902303018010

Honours

Porto Youth

2018–19[15]

Porto

2019–20,[6] 2021–22[16]

2019–20,[7] 2021–22, 2022–23,[17] 2023–24[18]

2022–23[19]

2020,[20] 2022,[21] 2024[22]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: João Mário. Mais Futebol. pt. 12 February 2021.
  2. News: Foi ao Benfica mas o FC Porto resgatou-o: telefonema à meia-noite e papel guardado. He visited Benfica but FC Porto rescued him: midnight phone call and paper kept. O Jogo. João. Maia. pt. 18 May 2020. 12 February 2021.
  3. News: FC Porto B-Arouca, 0–1: Golo de Malele foi decisivo. FC Porto B-Arouca, 0–1: Malele goal proved decisive. Record. pt. 7 October 2018. 12 February 2021.
  4. News: Penálti a fechar empata clássico entre FC Porto B e Benfica B. Late penalty levels classic between FC Porto B and Benfica B. O Jogo. pt. 5 January 2019. 9 December 2019.
  5. News: O onze titular do FC Porto para a receção ao Marítimo. FC Porto's starting eleven for the hosting of Marítimo. O Jogo. pt. 10 June 2020. 15 August 2020.
  6. News: Capitão Danilo usou a bússola para mostrar o caminho para o título. Captain Danilo used the compass to show the road to the title. Diário de Notícias. Isaura. Almeida. pt. 15 July 2020. 15 August 2020.
  7. News: Os onzes de Benfica e FC Porto para a final da Taça de Portugal. The Benfica and FC Porto elevens for the Taça de Portugal final. O Jogo. pt. 1 August 2020. 15 August 2020.
  8. Web site: O laboratório de Conceição dá a dobradinha ao Dragão. Conceição's laboratory gives double to Dragon. TSF. Bruno. Dias. pt. 2 August 2020. 12 February 2021.
  9. News: E agora Sérgio, quem toma conta do João Mário? (a crónica do FC Porto-Belenenses SAD). And now Sérgio, who takes care of João Mário? (the FC Porto-Belenenses SAD match report). Observador. Bruno. Roseiro. pt. 19 May 2021. 29 August 2021.
  10. Web site: Conceição: "O João Mário é um lateral de grandíssima qualidade". Conceição: "João Mário is a high-quality full-back". Mais Futebol. Vítor Hugo. Alvarenga. pt. 8 August 2021. 29 August 2021.
  11. Web site: Sub21: Portugal goleia em Chipre e Diogo Leite bisa. Under21: Portugal rout in Cyprus and Diogo Leite grabs brace. Mais Futebol. pt. 4 September 2020. 12 February 2021.
  12. News: João Mário estreia-se nos convocados da seleção nacional. João Mário debuts in national team call-up. Record. pt. 13 November 2023. 13 November 2023.
  13. News: João Mário, a dedicatória e a estreia: "Confesso que não estava à espera". João Mário, the dedication and debut: "I confess I was not expecting it". O Jogo. Rita. Silva Vieira. Tomaz. Andrade. pt. 16 November 2023. 16 November 2023.
  14. Web site: Nota 30, Portugal. Seleção 'pica' gelo nórdico e escreve página histórica. Grade 30, Portugal. National team "pick" Nordic ice and write historic page. Notícias ao Minuto. Rodrigo. Querido. pt. 19 November 2023. 19 November 2023.
  15. News: FC Porto é campeão Europeu Sub-19. FC Porto are Under-19 European champions. Diário de Notícias. Isaura. Almeida. pt. 29 April 2019. 15 September 2019.
  16. Web site: Zaidu winner takes Porto to the title away to bitter rivals Benfica. PortuGOAL. Patrick. Ribeiro. 7 May 2022. 8 May 2022.
  17. Web site: Dominant Porto dispatch Braga to lift Portuguese Cup. PortuGOAL. Tom. Kundert. 4 June 2023. 5 June 2023.
  18. Web site: Porto beat 10-man Sporting in extra time to win Portuguese Cup. PortuGOAL. Tom. Kundert. 26 May 2024. 26 May 2024.
  19. Web site: Porto beat Sporting 2–0 to lift first Taça da Liga. PortuGOAL. 28 January 2023. 29 January 2023.
  20. News: FC Porto bate Benfica e conquista Supertaça pela 22ª vez. FC Porto beat Benfica and conquer Supercup for the 22nd time. O Jogo. pt. 23 December 2020. 17 June 2023.
  21. Web site: Porto beat Tondela 3–0 in the Portuguese Super Cup. PortuGOAL. Matthew. Marshall. 30 July 2022. 31 July 2022.
  22. Web site: Porto pull off stunning comeback to beat Sporting in seven-goal Super Taça thriller. PortuGOAL. Patrick. Ribeiro. 4 August 2024. 4 August 2024.